Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 54, 2001

Laboratory and Epidemiology Communications

Detection ofTT Vims DNA in Human Bile Juice
Eriko Hayakawal,2, Ybshihiro Edamotol,3, Ding Xinl, Huy Thien Tuan Tranl,
Yohko Iwakil, Yuko SatoI, Tetsutaro Satal and Kenji Abel*
IDepartmen i of Pathology, National Institute of lnfectious Diseases,

Toyama 1‑23‑1, Shinjuku‑ku, To&0 162‑8640 and2Division of Pediatrics and 3Division of Surgery, International Medical Center ofJapan,

Toyama 1‑21‑1, Shinjuku‑ku, TobJo 162‑8655
Communicated by Tetsutaro Sata

(Accepted July 31, 2001)

Recently, uslng representational difference analysts, theestimated according to the mlgration pattem of a 50‑bp DNA

geno.me from a novel DNA virus, termed the TT virus (TTV),

ladder (Phamacia Biotech, Uppsala, Sweden). All PCR assay

was isolated kom the serum of patients with post‑transfusion

were performed in duplicate to confirmspecificity.
TTV DNA was detected in the bilejuice of8 (50%) of 16

non‑A‑G hepatitis (1 ,2). Due to the genome structure and its

banding in buoyant densitygradient centrifugation, TTV might

subjects. To verifythat the products amplified by PCR werebe most related to Circoviridae viruses among the known
animal virus families (3‑5). TTV sequence has been detected inofTTV origln, Sequence analyses of 8 cases were perf♭med

sera and liver tissues from liver disease patients, suggestlng

although the nucleotide sequence of TTV DNA from the bilethat TTV would be responsible fわr some acute and chronic

JulCeS had sequence variation among them, all had a highliver diseases ofunknownetiology (2,6). It has been reported

similarity to the TA278 isolate which is the prototype ofTTV
Our results indicate that TTV DNA, besides being present

uslng the direct sequenclng method. The results revealed thatthat TTV infection does not induce slgnificant liver damage(7). We recently reported that TTV infection is widespread inin the blood, can also be fbund丘equently in bile julCe. Similarfindings were. reported by others (ll)･ It is known that thethe general population worldwide and suggested that TTV
may be a common DNA virus in humans (8). This implies thatthe routes of TTV transmission may differ from the routesof hepatitis B vims, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis G vims

TTV viremla lS Widespread in the general population world‑wide, since the prevalence among patients including healthy
populations was fわund to be over 70% (8). Such an extremelytransmission. The presence of the virus in body fluids otherhigh prevalence of TTV infection in the general populationsuggeststhat TTV may be transmissible not only via blood, butalso by a nonparental route. Indeed, Okamoto et al. reported
that TTV was excreted into the feces, thereby suggesting thatTTV would be transmitted not only parenterally, but also non‑than serum, such as saliva and semen, may affect the routes
ofviral transmission (9)･ Accordingly, we.used PCR assay toanalyze whether TTV is present in bile julCe.
Bile julCeS Were Obtained from 1 6 patients who had under‑gone operation for resection of the gall bladder. The bile julCeS
were collected directly from the removed gall bladders andparenterally by a fecal‑oral route (1 2, 1 3).

stored at ‑800C until use. Informed consent was obtained fromJulCe, SuggeStlng a fecal‑Oral TTV transmission route.

1n conclusion, TTV DNA was detected frequently in bile

the participants in this study. DNA was extracted from loo
This study was supported in part by grants‑in‑aid for ScienceJLl of the bilejuice,using a nucleic acid extraction kit (SepaGene
RV‑R, Sanko Junyaku Co., Ltd., Tokyo). The bile juice wasdiluted two times with phosphate‑buffered saline and usedfor DNA extraction. TTV DNA was amplified by PCR uslng amethod described previously (8). ln brief; the the‑ocycler

Research of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology of Japan and the Ministry of Health, Labourand We脆re of Japan.

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