Key result
The rate of TTV infection in healthy UAE nationals was significantly lower than in non-nationals (34.9% vs 89.1%, P < 0.05), with multiple genotypes isolated.
Cross-Sectional (n=449)
Absolute Event Rate: 34.9% vs 89.1%
p-value: p=< 0.05
TTV infection is highly prevalent in the UAE, with significantly lower rates in healthy nationals compared to non-nationals, and multiple genotypes are present.
Observed nationality differences in TTV prevalence are hypothesis-generating; should not change practice pending prospective data.
TT virus (TTV) and TTV-like viruses (TTVLs) have been reported to be associated with non-A-E hepatitis. To determine the rate of infection and genotypic characteristics of TTV in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a total of 449 serum samples representing different populations in the UAE and comprising healthy as well as patients positive for HBsAg and HCV were screened. National subjects (n = 200) and non-nationals residing in the UAE (n = 249) were tested by PCR. The results obtained showed that the rate of TTV infection in healthy nationals, and those with HBsAg or antibody to HCV were 34.9, 97.9, and 95.7, respectively, compared to 89.1% (115/129), 89.2% (66/74), and 84.8% (39/46), respectively, in non-nationals. Sequence analysis of the untranslated region (UTR) using 71 clones generated from the PCR products of eight serum samples from healthy individuals (four nationals and four non-nationals) showed that 83.1% of the TTV clones were classified into groups 1-4, whereas 16.9% into possibly new genotype(s). The analysis also revealed that healthy national subjects carried multiple viruses. Phylogenetic analysis of representative sequences revealed clustering of clones into at least five major groups. Also, when compared to reference genotypes (from GenBank), two of our clones belonged to two previously identified genotypes. Non-significant gender differences were seen in all ethnic groups studied (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the rate of TTV infection in the UAE nationals is significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of the non-nationals and several genotypes were isolated with common multi-infections.
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Al-Moslih et al. (2004) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy subjects and patients with HBV or HCV (n=449). UAE nationality vs. Non-UAE nationality was evaluated on Rate of TTV infection in healthy subjects (p=< 0.05). The rate of TTV infection in healthy UAE nationals was significantly lower than in non-nationals (34.9% vs 89.1%, P < 0.05), with multiple genotypes isolated.
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