Abstract:
Purpose: Transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) is a novel
non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA virus with unclear
pathogenesis throughout the world. Many studies were
conducted to determine this virus in various body fluids
and different primer sets have been tested for accurate
diagnosis.This study aimed to collect data on the prevalence
of TTV in serum, tear and aqueous humour of patients
undergoing planned cataract surgery and to determine effi-
cacy of three different polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
techniques.
Methods: A total of 72 specimens (24 each of serum, tear
and aqueous humour specimens) were collected from 24
patients (11 male and 13 female) having age-related
cataract. The patients did not have any other ocular
pathology. TTV DNA was investigated by three different
PCR methods: a seminested PCR performed with Okamato’s
primers, a one-step PCR performed with degenerative
Takashi’s primers and a commercial real-time PCR system.
Results: TTV DNA was detected in 20 (83.3%) of the 24
serum specimens by the one-step PCR and real-time PCR
system. However, seminested PCR yielded a positivity rate
of 25%.TTV DNA positivities of the one-step PCR and the
real-time PCR system were 33.3% and 66.6% of the 24 tear
specimens, respectively. Seminested PCR did not yield positive
result in these specimens. From aqueous humour specimens,
TTV DNA was detected in 3 (12.5%) of the 24
specimens only by the real-time PCR.TTV DNA positivity of
seminested PCR was significantly low in all specimens.
Conclusions: TTV DNA was detected in serum, tear and
aqueous humour of patients undergoing cataract surgery,
suppor ting the idea that this virus can be detected almost all
of the body fluids but at different rates under various PCR
conditions and primer sets. Using commercial real-time PCR
significantly increased the TTV DNA positivity.
