A new DNA virus, referred to as SEN virus (SEN V), has been isolated and is
associated with blood-product transfusion and possibly Non A to Non E hepa
titis. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of SEN V in Liver transplant
recipients at our center. Polymerase chain reaction was used to test for 2
genotypes of SEN V (SENV:C/H and SEN V:D) in 58 unselected patients. Compa
risons were made between SEN V-positive and SEN V-negative groups in terms
of age, time posttransplantation, indications for transplantation, serum al
anine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, a
nd cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus status. Thirty of 58 transplant r
ecipients (51.7%) were SEN V positive; 15.5% were positive for SEN V:C/H, 2
4.1% for SEN:D, and 12.1% for both strains. No significant differences were
found based on primary indication for transplantation, including hepatitis
C virus (HCV), Of the 14 of 21 patients with HCV seropositivity and HCV re
infection, 79% were positive for SEN V (P = .02), There was no difference i
n the proportion of patients with abnormal serum ALT and/or AST levels. A t
rend for the SEN V-positive group to have a greater mean ALT level (82 v 41
U/L; P = .067) was attributable to the subgroup with HCV recurrence becaus
e there was no difference in mean ALT levels (34.9 v 34.5 U/L; P = .968) in
non-HCV-infected transplant recipients. Even in the subgroup (n = 14) with
recurrent HCV, there was no statistically significant difference in mean A
LT levels (140 v 105 U/L; P = .665). Age and cytomegalovirus or Epstein-Bar
r virus status were not significantly different between the 2 groups, but a
significant difference in posttransplantation time was noted (16.8 v 32 mo
nths; P = .021). We conclude that SENV is common among liver transplant rec
ipients but does not appear to cause graft dysfunction as an isolated agent
. There is a suggestion that SEN V may be associated with HCV recurrence, b
ut we did not detect biochemical differences attributable to SEN V.