lichen planus and hepatitis-c virus prevalence and clinical presentation

SUMMARY: Hepatitis C VIruS is a major public health problem world wide. It is the main causative agent for post-transfusion hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is characterized by wide spectrum of liver damage ranging from mild chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. HCY is responsible for a variety of extrahepatic manifestations. Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin and mucous membranes. It has a wide variety of clinical types and unpredictable self-limited course. A clinical association between Lichen planus and HCY infection has been reported by several authors. L.P is considered by some authors as a possible marker of an HCY infection, but this association is controverial, as the geographic origin of patients is an important factor in HCY prevalence in patients with L.P. The aim of this study was to prove this association and to assess the prevalence of HCY. in patients with different types of L.P in Egypt. Two groups of patients were randomly selected, 30 patients with variant types ofL.P. They include 6 males and 24 females, their age ranged br>between 38-68 years with a mean age of 48.8 years. 30 patients with HCY infection were also included, 23 males and 7 females, their age ranged between 35-70 years with a mean age of53.2 years. 110