Scarring alopecia and sclerodermatous changes of the scalp in a patient with hepatitis C infection.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a common cause of chronic hepatitis and is frequently associated with extrahepatic disease. Recently, cutaneous disorders have been a presenting manifestation of HCV infection. Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is one of the cutaneous diseases associated with hepatitis C. PCT manifests in an acute form with tense bullae and erosions and in a chronic form with milia, scarring, and sclerodermatous changes. HCV has also been implicated as a cause of vasculitis through immune complex deposition. We report a patient in whom HCV was associated with sclerodermoid PCT and a medium vessel vasculitis. This case underscores the importance of HCV and its potential cutaneous manifestations, as well as the importance of recognizing cutaneous manifestations of internal disease that may be the first clue to diagnosis of HCV.