Effect on treatment outcome of coinfection with SEN viruses in patients with hepatitis C

The newly discovered SEN D and SEN H viruses are transmitted parenterally a nd can cause post-transfusion hepatitis. We assessed whether coinfection of patients with chronic hepatitis C and SEN D or SEN H correlates with the o utcome of treatment with interferon and ribavirin. Of 31 patients with hepa titis C studied, six were positive for SEN D and seven for SEN H (one was p ositive for both). All of those positive for SEN D and five of those positi ve for SEN H failed to respond to therapy. Overall response (RNA titre and alanine aminotransferase concentration after treatment) was lower In SEN-in fected patients than uninfected patients (p=0.025). We conclude that coinfe ction with SEN viruses Is frequent in chronic hepatitis C patients and migh t adversely affect the outcome of treatment with Interferon and ribavirin.