Molecular and Genotypic Study of Senv-D Virus Coinfection in Β-Thalassemic Patients Infected With the Hepatitis C Virus in Iraq

Abstract

Objective and Background: SEN virus has identified as a putative new hepatitis virus coinfected with hepatitis C in thalassemic patients. The study aimed to measure viremia with SEN virus among thalassemic patients infected and non-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Further, to detect the genotype D and the genetic alterations in the internal transcribed spacer domains/regions of SENV-D genotypes. Patients and Methods: A total of 200 β-thalassemic patients were included. HCV-RNA and SEN-DNA are extracting automatically. Then, amplification for SEN-DNA by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was achieved. Furthermore, HCV-RNA was amplified using real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Sequencing analysis was also done for 14 samples of amplified SENV-D DNA. Results: Out of 100 positive ELISA-anti-HCV antibodies which were definite for RT-PCR, the mean viral load in these patients was 545806 ± 1,009,799 IU/ml (1,997,176 ±3,802,206) copies/ml. There was a significant increase in SENV-D in thalassemia patients without HCV infection (59%) than those in thalassemia patients with HCV infection (44%) and healthy subjects (7%). In a sequencing study, 11 samples were infected with D genotype only while three from thalassemia patients group were coinfected with D and H genotypes. Conclusions: The occurrence rate of SEN-V DNA in thalassemia patients is very high in Iraq. Further, SEN-V-D genotype is more prevalent, and the sequences of SEN-V-D nucleotides in persons with coinfection are the same sequences of persons that have an infection with SEN-V-D alone. The most countries which have similar sequences to Iraqi SENV-D genotype sequence are Iran followed by China, Japan, Brazil, and the United States of America.

SEN virus genotype H distribution in β-thalassemic patients and in healthy donors in Iraq: Molecular and physiological study

“…The present study was a follow-up study from an earlier investigation of SENV infections in patients with β-thalassemia, in Iraq [8]. In addition to confirming the results from the earlier study, this study also sought to explore, in greater detail, the potential impact of SENV-H infections in patients with thalassemia.…”

“…The similarly high rates of infection for SENV and HCV in this patient population may be due to their having similar transmission risk factors, e.g., blood transfusions. Blood-borne infections, such as HCV, pose significant risks for patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia [8]. Further, the significantly greater occurrence of SENV infections among patients with thalassemia than among healthy donors remains suggestive of blood transfusions being the primary source of SENV infections in patients with thalassemia [13].…”

“…Our previous study showed that liver enzyme levels were significantly increased in thalassemia patients infected with HCV and/or SENV. Further, there appeared to be some additional increase associated in liver marker levels in patients co-infected with both viruses as opposed with just one or the other [8]. In the present study, we focused on the impacts of SENV infections in patients with thalassemia but who were not infected with HCV.…”

“…Co-infections involving SENV and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) are also common because the viruses share similar transmission routes (e.g., blood transfusions) [7]. Our previous study [8], demonstrated the presence of SENV viremia in Iraqi patients with β-thalassemia who were and were not infected with HCV. Further, that study also demonstrated that both the D and H SENV genotypes were present in Iraqi patients and noted the impact of the viral infection on liver function indicators in infected individuals.…”

SEN virus genotype H distribution in β-thalassemic patients and in healthy donors in Iraq: Molecular and physiological study

“…Co-infections involving SENV and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) are also common because the viruses share similar transmission routes (e.g., blood transfusions) [7]. Our previous study [8], demonstrated the presence of SENV viremia in Iraqi patients with β-thalassemia who were and were not infected with HCV. Further, the study also demonstrated that both the D and H SENV genotypes were present in Iraqi patients and noted the impact of the viral infection on liver function indicators in infected individuals.…”