The presence of a newly identified infectious agent (SEN virus) in patients with liver diseases and in blood donors in Japan

The existence of the newly discovered SEN virus (SENV) was investigated in 379 Japanese patients with liver diseases and in 277 blood donors, to deter mine whether SENV is associated with non-A-E hepatitis. SENV DNA was detect ed by seminested polymerase chain reaction, with primers directed to 2 SENV strains: SENV-H and SENV-D. SENV was detected in 7 (32%) of 22 patients wi th fulminant hepatitis, in 15 (17%) of 86 patients with acute hepatitis, in 38 (27%) of 139 patients with chronic hepatitis, in 29 (31%) of 93 patient s with liver cirrhosis, in 5 (33%) of 15 patients with autoimmune hepatitis , in 11 (46%) of 24 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, and in 27 bloo d donors (10%). Infection occurred more frequently in patients with liver d iseases than in blood donors; however, there were no significant difference s in SENV-positive rates between patients with non-A-C hepatitis and those with acute or chronic hepatitis due to known hepatitis virus or nonviral li ver disease. This study did not suggest SENV as a possible causative agent of non-A-C hepatitis.