Sen Virus and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Southern African Blacks

Abstract

SEN virus (SENV), or its variants (SENV-D and SENV-H), have been detected in the serum of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), acute or chronic benign hepatic diseases, and healthy individuals in a number of countries. No information has hitherto been available in sub-Saharan African populations. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of SENV, SENV-D and SENV-H in southern African Black Africans with this tumor and healthy Black controls and patients with acute hepatitis or cirrhosis. SENV, SENV-D and SENV-H were detected in sera using polymerase chain reaction assays followed by gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining of the bands. SENV, SENV-D, SENV-H, and dual SENVD/H were detected in between 14% and 40% of patients with HCC, but not significantly more often than in the healthy controls (18.2% to 63.6%) or patients with acute hepatitis (8.2% to 34.0) or cirrhosis (17.2% to 42.9%).
Conclusion: SENV or SENV-D and SENV-H do not cause HCC and appear to have no pathological consequences in southern African Blacks.