Prevalence of torque teno virus in healthy individuals and those infected with hepatitis C virus living in Yazd, Iran

Background: Torque teno virus (TTV) is a non-enveloped DNA virus that its role as a helper or causative agent in hepatitis is still unclear. TTV prevalence varies in different regions of the world. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of TTV in healthy individuals and those infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) living in Yazd city, Iran. Methods: In this case-control study, 50 healthy subjects and 68 HCV-positive individuals who referred to Yazd hospitals participated in this study. TTV DNA in serum samples were detected by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers of 5%-UTR and N22 regions. The genotypes of HCV and TTV were determined by sequencing method. Results: TTV-DNA was detected in 2 out of 50 (4%) healthy individuals and in 4 out of 68 (5.8%) HCV-positive persons. There was not a significant correlation between the prevalence of TTV and HCV infection. The most common TTV genotypes among HCV-positive individuals were 3, 17 and 13, respectively. There was not a significant association obtained between HCV genotypes and TTV genotypes. Conclusion: The prevalence of TTV in Yazd province was low compared with the other areas of Iran. The prevalence of TTV in HCV infected people was not significantly higher than its rate in uninfected individuals.