OBJECTIVE: It is currently unknown which mechanisms are responsible for TT virus (TTV) infection in early childhood and whether it may be transmitted in utero from mother to infant. METHODS: The prevalence, mode and extent of maternal TTV transmission was investigated by testing blood, cord blood and breast milk samples from mother-infant pairs for the existence of the novel DNA virus. RESULTS: By means of polymerase chain reaction, TTV DNA was detected in 57 (41.3%) of 138 mothers and in 19 (13.8%) of 138 cord blood samples; therefore 33.3% of infants are likely to be infected by their mothers during the fetal period. Direct sequencing of TTV DNA from 2 mother-child pairs showed identical isolates. Follow-up sera from 3 TTV infected babies showed persistence of viremia. In blood samples from newborns older than 1 week 9 (27.3%) of 33 sera were TTV-positive. Viral sequences were also detected in 2 of 2 breast milk samples. In none of the infected subjects were biochemical or clinical signs of hepatitis observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our data prove that TT virus is efficiently transmitted transplacentally. The increase of its prevalence in the group of newborns older than 1 week suggests that it may be furthermore transmitted postnatally. Therefore in our Caucasian population, vertical transmission, particularly in utero transmission, of TTV is likely to account for a major part of TTV infection in early childhood. However, no disease activity could be established for the novel virus by this infection route.
OBJECTIVE: It is currently unknown which mechanisms are responsible for TT virus (TTV) infection in early childhood and whether it may be transmitted in utero from mother to infant. METHODS: The prevalence, mode and extent of maternal TTV transmission was investigated by testing blood, cord blood and breast milk samples from mother-infant pairs for the existence of the novel DNA virus. RESULTS: By means of polymerase chain reaction, TTV DNA was detected in 57 (41.3%) of 138 mothers and in 19 (13.8%) of 138 cord blood samples; therefore 33.3% of infants are likely to be infected by their mothers during the fetal period. Direct sequencing of TTV DNA from 2 mother-child pairs showed identical isolates. Follow-up sera from 3 TTV infected babies showed persistence of viremia. In blood samples from newborns older than 1 week 9 (27.3%) of 33 sera were TTV-positive. Viral sequences were also detected in 2 of 2 breast milk samples. In none of the infected subjects were biochemical or clinical signs of hepatitis observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our data prove that TT virus is efficiently transmitted transplacentally. The increase of its prevalence in the group of newborns older than 1 week suggests that it may be furthermore transmitted postnatally. Therefore in our Caucasian population, vertical transmission, particularly in utero transmission, of TTV is likely to account for a major part of TTV infection in early childhood. However, no disease activity could be established for the novel virus by this infection route.
Authors: Linlin Li; Xutao Deng; Antonio Charlys Da Costa; Roberta Bruhn; Steven G Deeks; Eric Delwart Journal: J Clin Virol Date: 2015-10-08 Impact factor: 3.168
Authors: Evgeny V Vasilyev; Dmitry Y Trofimov; Alexander G Tonevitsky; Valery V Ilinsky; Dmitriy O Korostin; Denis V Rebrikov Journal: Virol J Date: 2009-09-07 Impact factor: 4.099
Authors: Elmoeiz A Elnagi; Thekra N Al-Maqati; Yaser Alnaam; Ahmed A Adam; Ali A Rabaan; Zeinab S Mohamed; Anisah Amer; Hussa L Almarfoi Journal: Saudi J Biol Sci Date: 2021-04-01 Impact factor: 4.219