title: SEN virus infection in patients with chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in Thailand.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Chulalongkorn University and Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pisit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tangkijvanich
authors.forename: Apiradee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Theamboonlers
authors.forename: Maturapod
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sriponthong
authors.forename: Duangporn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thong-Ngam
authors.forename: Pinit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kullavanijaya
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poovorawan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology