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SEN virus: epidemiology and characteristics of a transfusion‐transmitted virus
Author(s) -
Akiba Jun,
Umemura Takeji,
Alter Harvey J.,
Kojiro Masamichi,
Tabor Edward
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2004.00209.x
Subject(s) - virus , virology , hepatitis c virus , blood transfusion , medicine , transmission (telecommunications) , dna virus , epidemiology , hepatitis , hepatitis b virus , viral disease , immunology , biology , genome , genetics , electrical engineering , gene , engineering
SEN virus (SEN‐V) is a blood‐borne, single‐stranded, nonenveloped DNA virus. Although its prevalence varies by geographic region, it has been detected in as many as 30 percent of postoperative transfusion recipients, compared to 3 percent of postoperative patients who did not receive transfusions. A significant association has been observed between transfusion volume and the occurrence of SEN‐V infection. Transmission by transfusion also has been confirmed by the detection of greater than 99 percent homology between SEN‐V in donor and recipient sera. Concurrent infections with SEN‐V and hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, or human immunodeficiency virus type 1 have been documented, and these observations probably reflect the blood‐borne transmission of these viruses as well as SEN‐V. Although SEN‐V was discovered as part of a search for causes of posttransfusion hepatitis, there is no firm evidence so far that SEN‐V infection either causes hepatitis or worsens the course of coexistent liver disease. Nevertheless, SEN‐V appears to be transmitted by transfusion, and further studies may reveal more about its role in the future.