title: Prevalence of SENV-H viraemia among healthy subjects and individuals at risk for parenterally transmitted diseases in Germany.
abstract: The prevalence of a newly described DNA virus (SENV-H) was examined in a population of 599 individuals by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All individuals were assigned to a nonrisk or a risk group depending on the presence of historical or serological factors indicating an increased risk for parenterally transmitted diseases. In a group of 226 healthy blood donors, 38 (16.8%) were found to be SENV-H viraemic. The highest prevalence of SENV-H viraemia was observed among patients infected by HIV (28 of 63; 44.4%). Contrarily, of 78 individuals on maintenance haemodialysis, only 10 (12.8%) were found positive in the SENV-H PCR. Our results demonstrate that SENV-H viraemia is widespread in the general population. Therefore, it seems to be questionable if parenteral transmission is the main route for spreading SENV-H. The hepatitis-inducing capacity of SENV-H is unclear. However, taking our clinical and epidemiological data into account it seems unlikely that this virus is responsible for hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schröter
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laufs
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zöllner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knödler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sterneck
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Feucht
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000821:virology; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral