Lichen Planus, Erythema Nodosum, and Erythema Multiforme in a Patient With Chronic Hepatitis C

After identification of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 1989, evidence was established supporting its role in the pathogenesis of a number of cutaneous diseases. This evidence ranges from mere epidemiologic associations, such as lichen planus, to molecular biological investigations that have identified the virus in the pathologic tissues of cutaneous vasculitis, vasculitis with mixed cryoglobulinemia, and porphyria cutanea tarda. We describe a 52-year-old man who was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C, preceding the appearance of lichen planus, erythema nodosum, and erythema multiforme that coincided with the reactivation of viral replication.