SEN and hepatitis virus infections in nontransfused children and pediatric thalassemia patients with multiple transfusions in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Southern Taiwan is a hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV) endemic area. SEN virus (SENV) infection has been suggested as transfusion-related hepatitis. Two variants of SENV (SENV-D and SENV-H) have been studied in non-transfused children and transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients.


METHODS
Sera of 67 non-transfused children and 55 pediatric thalassemia patients with multiple transfusions were tested for SENV-D and SENV-H DNAs, liver function, iron status, HBV and HCV markers.


RESULTS
The prevalence of SENV (D or H), SENV-D, SENV-H infection, and SENV-D/H coinfection was significantly lower in nontransfused children than in thalassemia patients (22.4, 20.9, 5.0 and 1.5%, respectively, versus 67.3, 52.7, 40.0 and 25.5%, respectively, p < 0.001). The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in thalassemia patients with SENV infection alone were significantly lower than levels in patients with SENV/HCV co-infection (p < 0.05), but not different when compared with those without SENV/HCV infection. SENV viremia was not associated with elevated ALT levels in thalassemia patients. SENV viremia did not increase the risk of HCV infection in thalassemia patients.


CONCLUSIONS
SENV infection is high among non-transfused controls in Taiwan. Transfusion significantly increases the relevance of SENV infection. SENV viremia was not associated with the ALT levels in thalassemia patients.
Chiou
Shyh-Shin
SS
Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Huang
Jee-Fu
JF
Chang
Tai-Tsung
TT
Hsieh
Ming-Yen
MY
Dai
Chia-Yen
CY
Yu
Ming-Lung
ML
Chang
Wen-Yu
WY
Chuang
Wan-Long
WL
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D004279:DNA, Viral