Identification of a novel torque teno mini virus in cerebrospinal fluid from a child with encephalitis

Virol Sin. 2017 Dec;32(6):541-544. doi: 10.1007/s12250-017-4042-3.

Abstract

Anelloviruses are single-strand circular DNA viruses and ubiquitous within the human population. Although there is no direct evidence, many studies have suggested the anelloviruses may be associated with a variety of diseases. In this study, a novel torque teno mini virus (TTMV) was detected in a child with unexplained encephalitis. The detected virus had a circular genome of 2943 nt in length and 3 open reading frames. It shared 45.4% - 35.9% nucleotide identities with known TTMV species and < 35% with the other species of anellovirus, which suggested it might belong to a new species within the genus Betatorquevirus. Phylogenetic analysis based on the amino acid sequences of ORF1 showed that this virus represented a distinct branch within the diversity of anellovirus. Whether this novel anellovirus strain is associated with encephalitis requires further study.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / virology*
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA Virus Infections / diagnosis*
  • DNA Virus Infections / diagnostic imaging
  • DNA Virus Infections / pathology
  • DNA Virus Infections / virology*
  • Encephalitis, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Encephalitis, Viral / diagnostic imaging
  • Encephalitis, Viral / pathology
  • Encephalitis, Viral / virology*
  • Gene Order
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology
  • Torque teno virus / classification
  • Torque teno virus / genetics
  • Torque teno virus / isolation & purification*