SEN virus infection among patients on maintenance hemodialysis in southern Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence and clinical significance of two SEN virus (SENV) strains, SENV-D and SENV-H, was investigated among patients on maintenance hemodialysis in southern Taiwan.


METHODS
Sera from 99 uremic patients were tested for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV), and SENV-D and -H DNA. Sera from 120 healthy blood donors were tested as a control group.


RESULTS
Of the 99 patients, 24.2 and 7.1% were positive for anti-HCV and HBsAg, respectively, and the prevalence of SENV-D and/or -H (SENV-D/H), SENV-D and SENV-H DNA was 61.6, 46.5 and 27.3%, which was significantly higher than for donors (23.3, 18.3, and 5.8%, respectively; all P<0.0001). Patients with SENV-D DNA had significantly higher mean age among both patients (P=0.019) and donors (P=0.015). Mean serum ALT levels were significantly higher among patients with anti-HCV (P=0.003) and patients with SENV-D and -H concurrent infection (P=0.034). By multivariate analyses, the presence of serum anti-HCV and concurrent SENV-D and -H infection were independent factors associated with increased ALT level.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of SENV-D/H infection is high among Taiwanese patients on maintenance hemodialysis with SENV-D more prevalent than SENV-H. The ALT level was associated with not only positive anti-HCV but also concomitant viremia of both SENV-D and SENV-H.
Dai
Chia-Yen
CY
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Rd, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan, ROC.
Chuang
Wan-Long
WL
Chang
Wen-Yu
WY
Chen
Shinn-Cherng
SC
Sung
Ming-Hsing
MH
Hsieh
Ming-Yen
MY
Lin
Zu-Yau
ZY
Hsieh
Ming-Yuh
MY
Wang
Liang-Yen
LY
Tsai
Jung-Fa
JF
Yu
Ming-Lung
ML
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000145:classification*; D014511:Uremia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology
D004279:DNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase