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.

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.

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.

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.