Clinicopathological features of serum TTV DNA-positive non-A-G liver diseases in Japan

This study was undertaken to detect TTV DNA in serum samples from patients with non-A, non-B, non-C, non-E, and non-G (non-A-G) liver diseases and fro m blood donors, and to investigate the clinicopathological features of TTV infection including its prevalence and influence on liver disease. The stud y population consisted of 20 patients with non-A-G liver diseases (nine wit h chronic hepatitis (CH), six with liver cirrhosis (LC), and five with hepa tocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as 47 blood donors. Detection of TTV DN A was conducted with 200 mul of serum by the nested polymerase chain reacti on. The detection rate of TTV DNA by subject category was CH 55.9; LC 66.7; HCC 60%; and blood donors 28%. Regarding blood biochemistry, TTV DNA-posit ive patients tended to show higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine amino transferase, as well as lower levels of platelet counts. Lon g-term follow-up revealed that TTV DNA-positive patients exhibited characte ristic, multiple peaks of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The histol ogic findings in the livers of TTV DNA-positive patients with CH consisted of moderate necro-inflammatory reactions. In conclusion, it is possible tha t the TTV genotype 1b infection caused liver injury. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.