Mohammad shayestehpour - Autoimmune Diseases Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Faezeh Ebneali - Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Batool Zamani - Autoimmune Diseases Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Ahmad Piroozmand - Autoimmune Diseases Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Kamal Esalatmanesh - Autoimmune Diseases Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Zahrasadat Fateminasab - Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Shaghayegh Yazdani - Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Aims: Infectious agents are considered as one of the possible etiological factors of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It has been suggested that torque teno virus (TTV) may trigger autoimmune disorders, but few studies have been conducted on the relationship between this virus and autoimmune diseases, especially SLE. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between TTV frequency and SLE. Materials & Methods: Serum samples were collected from a total of ۱۱۶ participants, including ۵۸ healthy people and ۵۸ SLE patients who referred to the rheumatology clinic of Shahid-Beheshti hospital in Kashan, Iran from January ۲۰۲۰ to January ۲۰۲۱. After the extraction of viral DNA from the samples, a nested PCR test was performed using specific primers to detect TTV. Findings: TTV was detected in ۴۳ SLE patients (۷۴.۱%, ۹۵% CI: ۶۳.۴-۸۶.۲) and ۳۳ healthy individuals (۵۶.۹%, ۹۵% CI: ۴۴.۱-۶۹.۰). A significant correlation was found between SLE and the presence of TTV (r= .۳۲, p= .۰۳). There was no correlation between the presence of TTV and musculoskeletal involvements, skin lesions, renal manifestations, and hematological manifestations (r< .۰۵, p> .۰۵). TTV was detected more frequently in patients with active lupus than in patients with quiescent disease, and this difference was significant (p= .۰۴۸). Conclusion: A significant association between TTV and SLE was observed in the present study; however, further studies are needed to investigate the role of TTV in the pathogenesis and clinical course of SLE.

Autoimmune Diseases, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Torque teno virus