Prevalence of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) in Blood Donor from Baghdad-Iraq

Abstract

Background: In 1997, Torque Teno virus (TTV) discovered for the first time in Japanese patients who suffer from hepatitis. Then, it is detected in healthy individuals without causing harmful effects. Also, it is a part of our microbiome, with a high rate in all populations. This virus belong to a large viral family called Anelloviridae. Today, there are many suggestions to use TTV as a novel biomarker for medical and environmental purposes.
 Objective: To determine the rate of TTV infection in Iraqi blood donors. And evaluate any association with demographic and risk factors.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted on serum samples from 359 participants who attended the blood donation unit of Al-Imammain Al-Kadhimain Medical City Hospital and National Blood Transfusion Center in Baghdad. The study sample consists of 351 males and only 8 females; their mean age is (36.04 ± 9.35 SD). For a period from November 2022 to January 2023. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect TTV untranslated region.
 Results: The TTV virus was detected in 93.9% (337 out of 359) of blood donors. However, no significant association was found between demographic data (sex, age) and risk factors such as history of (medical surgery, tattooing, cupping practice, marital status, multiple sexual partners, animal husbandry , travel history), under line medical condition (diabetes mellitus and hypertension), viral hepatitis co-infection and occupation with TTV infection rate.
 Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of TTV among healthy blood donors with no significant association with demographic data and risk factors. These results support that TTV as a part of the human virobiome and normally found in the majority of populations.