Transfusion-transmitted virus infection in renal transplant recipients in eastern Taiwan

Objective: Many studies have reported the prevalence of transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) infection in hemodialysis patients but only a few reports have studied the prevalence of TTV infection in renal transplant recipients and none from Taiwan. In this study, we have determined the prevalence of TTV in renal transplant recipients and related its prevalence to history of blood transfusion, serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and serum aminotransferase (AST and ALT) levels in eastern Taiwan. Patients and Methods: Serum samples from 23 renal transplant recipients and a control group of 43 subjects at health examination were studied for TTV viremia using polymerase chain reaction. Results: The proportion of blood transfusions (p