High rate of TTV infection in multitransfused patients with pediatric malignancy and hematological disorders

The prevalence of transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) infection has not bee n known in patients suffering from pediatric malignancies and hematological disorders who receive blood transfusion and/or blood products during treat ment. Blood samples were taken from 75 patients. TTV infection was identifi ed when TTV DNA was detected in serum by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV) RNA were also as sayed by PCR. TTV DNA was detected in 38 of 75 patients (51%). In 4 of 38 p atients, the amount of blood transfused was less than 3 units. By time sinc e last transfusion, TTV DNA was detected in 12 of 35 patients after more th an 4 years, 12 of 21 between 1 and 4 years, and 14 of 19 within 1 year. Six patients had mixed infection of TTV and HCV, and 12 patients had mixed inf ection of TTV and HGV. Three different kinds of Virus were found simultaneo usly in serum from 3 patients. Eight out of 75 patients slowed abnormal lev els of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (>40 IU/liter), and 3 of them had TTV DNA, All patients who had TTV DNA and elevated ALT levels also were positi ve for HCV RNA and HGV RNA. The prevalence of TTV infection is high in pati ents with pediatric malignancies and hematological disorders after episodes of blood transfusion. Transfusion is one of the most important risk factor s for TTV infection regardless of the amount of blood transfused. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss. Inc.