Research of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) in Serum and Total Blood of Brazilian Non-Human Primates and in Chicken Plasma (Gallus gallus domesticus) by the PCR N22 Region

Abstract

Torque teno virus (TTV) is a recently discovered DNA virus that was originally isolated from a Japanese patient ( initials, TT) with post-transfusion hepatitis of unknown aetiology. TTV is an circular DNA virus classified recently together with related Torque teno minivirus, into a new genus called Anellovirus. Infection TTV has been detected in a range of non-human primates as well as domestic animals. The purpose of this study was to search TTV in the serum and total blood of Brazilian monkeys and in plasma of domestic chickens by seminested PCR of coding region (N22), followed by a genomic sequence and phylogenetic analysis. No serum sample was amplified. TTV DNA was detected in total blood from 3 (4%) out of 75 brown-capuchin ( Cebus apella) and from 1 (25%) out of 4 golden-headed lion-tamarin ( Leontopithecus chrysomelas). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that one sample showed similarity with one sequence of the cotton top tamarin ( Saguinus oedipus) (So-TTV2) and with one of the douroucoulis (Aotes trivirgatus) (At-TTV3). Two samples showed similarity with a human Torque Teno Mini Virus (TLMV). The other sample clustered with one sequence of the chimpanzee (Pt-TTV6) and with the human TTV strain TA278. The plasma chicken samples tested were all negative. The amino acid sequences reported in this study are the first obtained in Brazil from total blood of non-human primates naturally infected by TTV.