All issues > Volume 47(2); 2004

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2004;47(2):183-186. Published online February 15, 2004.

The Prevalence of Transfusion-Transmitted Virus Infection in Children

Ju Young JY Chung¹, Tae Hee TH Han², Eung Su ES Hwang³

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
³Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Transfusion-transmitted virus(TTV) is an newly described nonenveloped human virus, with a circular, negative stranded DNA genome. Although a high prevalence of TTV infection in the normal population has been demonstrated, there is a still possibility of association with hepatitis according to the genotype of TTV. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of TTV infection in Korean children.
Methods
: Nested polymerase chain reaction(PCR) using priner sets generated from the noncoding region(NCR) of the viral genome was done in 105 children without liver disease, aged 0-15 years. We performed a second set of PCR using N22 primer in 88 children after the first set of PCR.
Results
: The TTV DNA was detectable in 36(34%) of 105 children without hepatitis by 5'NCR primer. The prevalence of TTV varied with age : <1 y, 16%(4/25); 1-3 y, 44%(15/31); 4-6 y, 31%(5/ 16); 7-9 y, 25%(3/12); 10-15 y, 14%(3/21). By using N22 primers, the prevalence of TTV DNA in children without hepatitis was 11.3%(11/88) : <1 y 8%(2/25); 1-3 y, 13.7%(4/29); 4-6 y, 6.2%(1/16); 7-9 y, 33.3%(2/6); 10-14 y, 8.2%(1/12).
Conclusion
: Our result showed a high prevalence of TTV infection, varying with age, in Korean children. Further evaluation of genotypes of TTV in patients with hepatitis and normal children is needed.

Keywords :Transfusion-Transmitted virus, Children