Dermatological manifestations of hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi Arabia

Authors

• Mona R. Halawani, Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital, PO Box 7805, Riyadh 11472, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 (11) 4691426. Fax. +966 (11) 4691432. E-mail: monahalawani{at}gmail.com

Abstract

The Saudi Ministry of Health data indicates that almost 32% of viral hepatitis cases were caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). It has been widely reported that chronic HCV infection is associated with and may trigger or exacerbate many skin manifestations in 20-40% of patients visiting dermatologists. The most commonly encountered dermatological manifestations of HCV infection globally include mixed cryoglobulinemia, porphyria cutanea tarda, cutaneous and/or oral lichen planus, urticaria, pruritus, thrombocytopenic purpura, and psoriasis. The current article indicates that HCV infection is increasing in Saudi Arabia and approximately 12% of the reported dermatological manifestations are caused by HCV infection. We recommend the urgent need for large-scale, case-control studies to understand the impact of HCV infection in patients with skin disease.

Article Type

Review

First Page

531

Last Page

537

Recommended Citation

Halawani, Mona R. (2014) "Dermatological manifestations of hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi Arabia," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 35: Iss. 6, Article 1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/1658-3175.5958