SEN virus infection in patients with chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in Thailand

Background:

SEN virus (SENV) has been recently identified as a candidate agent of non-A-E hepatitis virus. However, the exact role of this novel virus in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease, including chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains to be established. Methods: Using seminested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification to detect SENV-D and SENV-H strains in serum, we investigated SENV infection in voluntary blood donors and in patients with chronic liver disease and HCC. Results: SENV was detected in 5 of 100 blood donors (5%), in 15 of 60 patients with chronic liver disease (25%), and in 25 of 60 patients with HCC (42%). The prevalence of SENV in patients with HCC was higher than that in patients with chronic liver disease (P = 0.05) and in blood donors (P < 0.001). An age-specific prevalence of SENV was found at high levels among individuals aged 21–40 years, but was not detected among individuals in the lower age group. No differences between SENV-infected and non-infected patients were demonstrated with respect to demographic data, assumed source of infection, biochemical abnormalities, and severity of chronic liver disease and HCC. Moreover, SENV infection had no apparent effect on the survival of patients with HCC. Conclusions: Our data suggest that SENV infection is frequent among patients with chronic liver disease and HCC. However, pathogenic effects associated with SENV infection in chronic liver disease and HCC need further investigation.