Dermatologic Manifestations of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with various extrahepatic manifestations, including dermatologic involvement mostly caused by immune complexes. Mixed cryoglobulinemia has a strong relationship with HCV with 95% of these patients being infected with HCV. Lichen planus is a disease of the squamous epithelium and may affect any part of the skin, with 4% to 24% of patients with lichen planus reported to have chronic HCV infection. Porphyria cutanea tarda is the most common form of porphyria, and it is thought that HCV interferes with iron stores, which can promote porphyria cutanea tarda. Finally, necrolytic acral erythema is a rare, psoriasis-like disease closely associated with HCV.