PORPHYRIA-CUTANEA-TARDA AND HEPATITIS-B A ND HEPATITIS-C INFECTION

Porphyria cutanea tarda is a metabolic disorder caused by reduced hepa tic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity characterized by skin lesi ons and liver damage. The high frequency of liver histological damage in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda led us to study hepatitis B a nd C viral infection which has a striking prevalence in southern Europ e. We attempt here to expose different pathophysiological hypotheses: is viral hepatitis a triggering factor precipiting latent decreased ur oporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity or does it directly induce the e nzyme deficiency?