Epidemiological and genetic analysis of SEN virus infections in hemodialysis patients and healthy individuals in Tehran, Iran.

This case-control study investigated the epidemiological and genetic distribution of SEN virus (SENV) infections among 1,576 hemodialysis (HD) patients and 1,000 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals in Iran between 2017 and 2024. Nested PCR was utilized to amplify the ORF1 gene, facilitating the identification and sequencing of SENV genotypes D and H. The results demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of SENV among HD patients (45.6%, 717/1,576) compared to healthy individuals (20.5%, 205/1,000) (P < 0.001). Genotypic analysis showed that SENV-D (29.4% vs. 10.5%) and SENV-H (16.1% vs. 10.0%) were more frequently detected in HD patients. Additionally, co-infections with HBV (5.8% for SENV-D, 7.1% for SENV-H), HCV (28.4% for SENV-D, 45.1% for SENV-H, depending on genotype), and HIV (5.0% for SENV-D, 5.5% for SENV-H) were significantly associated with SENV infection in the HD group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the epidemiology of SENV in Iran, emphasizing the need for further research on its virological characteristics, transmission pathways, and potential interactions with co-infecting viruses to inform public health policies.