[Association of porphyria cutanea tarda and hepatitis C virus].

UNLABELLED: Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is caused by reduced activity of hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase. However extrinsic factors such as alcohol abuse and drug intake are required for the clinical manifestation of the disease. Hepatitis C virus antibodies have been detected in a high percentage of patients with PCT. Hepatitis C virus is probably the main pathogenetic factor of liver damage in patients with PCT.

AIM: To study the association between hepatitis C virus and PCT in our patients with PCT.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We have investigated six patients diagnosed of PCT in order to detect the presence of hepatitis C virus and other possible causes of the disease.

RESULTS

We have found that 66% of our patients had hepatitis C virus antibodies, 50% ethanol abuse, of which 2/3 presented hepatitis C virus antibodies, and one case of HIV.