[Porphyria cutanea tarda and hepatitis C virus]

The development of clinically overt porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) can be attributed to joint effects of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Regarding exogen factors, studies from several countries published in the last years gave an account of significantly higher frequency of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in PCT patients compared to the normal population. At the Department of Dermatology of University of Debrecen the prevalence of positive anti-HCV antibodies has been found in approximately 55% of PCT patients diagnosed from 1990 to 1999, which is comparable to the average prevalence rate seen in Southern-European countries. The majority of male patients were anti-HCV positive and consumed regularly alcohol, whereas every female patient had taken contraceptives. Liver enzymes were only slightly elevated in the majority of the patients and liver biopsy had to be performed only in three patients duo to chronic hepatitis. Our findings emphasise how important the screening of PCT patients for anti-HCV antibody considering that it might be important quo ad vitam for young men.