The prevalence of SEN virus infection in blood donors in Taiwan

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of SENV infections among blood donors in central Taiwan and to clarify the relationship between these infections and elevated alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) values. Methods: DNA was extracted from plasma of 200 blood donors and amplified by seminested PCR. Results: For all donors, the prevalence of SENV-D was 32%, and of SENV-H was 30.5%. Prevalence of mixed SENV-D/H infection was 11.5% and of SENV-D and/or SENV-H (SENV- D/H) was 51%. Infections were not associated with age, gender, or raised ALT values. Conclusions: SENV-D and SENV-H infections are common among blood donors in central Taiwan but are unlikely to contribute to abnormal ALT values. (c) 2005 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.