1. Possible pathogenic nature of the recently discovered TT virus: does it play a role in autoimmune rheumatic diseases?
- Author
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Gergely P Jr, Perl A, and Poór G
- Subjects
- Autoimmune Diseases etiology, Autoimmune Diseases immunology, DNA Virus Infections epidemiology, Humans, Torque teno virus genetics, Autoimmune Diseases virology, DNA Virus Infections diagnosis, Rheumatic Diseases etiology, Rheumatic Diseases virology, Torque teno virus isolation & purification
- Abstract
Pathogenesis of viral origin has long been suggested in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Beside the well-defined virus induced transient or chronic rheumatic diseases often resembling systemic autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, viruses can contribute to disease pathogenesis by several different pathomechanisms. TT virus is a recently discovered virus of extremely high genetic diversity which commonly infects humans. Despite accumulated evidence on the biological characteristics of TTV, its pathogenicity is still in question; many consider TTV as a harmless endosymbiont. The recent paper overviews the biology of TT virus and investigates the hypothesis that TTV might have a causative role in human diseases with special attention to the possibility that TTV might trigger autoimmunity in rheumatic disorders.
- Published
- 2006
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