Study of the frequency of TTV, TTMV, TTMDV, and TTV-specific miRNAs in patients with COVID-19 and a healthy control group in Tabriz in 1402

Abstract

The relationship between human anelloviruses (AVs) and the host's immune status has been recently noticed. Infection with other pathogenic viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, can affect the frequency of AVs. The effect of increased replication of these viruses and the presence of their miRNAs on the viral infection of COVID-19, which can indicate immune system suppression, is still unclear. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 210 people were included, including 2 groups of patients with COVID-19 and healthy people. People with COVID-19 were divided into severe and mild categories according to the severity of the disease. Two plasma and respiratory samples were taken from each person and measured for the presence of human anellovirus DNA. At the end, the plasma samples of COVID-19, which were positive for the presence of TTV DNA, were measured for the presence of TTV miRNAs. Results: TTV DNA was significantly higher in severe cases (27.1% in plasma) compared to healthy cases (11.4%) with p-value (0.048). However, other findings among TTMV, TTMDV, and TTV miRNAs in plasma and respiratory samples showed no statistical significance, indicating no clear association between viral markers and the severity of COVID-19.