CORRELATION OF LIVER AND SKIN HISTOPATHOLOGY WITH SEROLOGY IN A PATIENT WITH CUTANEOUS VASCULITIS AND HEPATITIS-C INFECTION

A strong body of evidence supports a viral etiology for many forms of vasculitis. Recent literature supports the association of the hepatiti s C virus (HCV) with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia. We describe a c ase of cutaneous vasculitis associated with simultaneous active hepati c inflammation demonstrated by skin and liver biopsies. Immunofluoresc ence, hepatitis C serology, and study of the cryoprecipitate all confi rmed HCV infection and deposition of immune complexes. Treatment with interferon alpha-2b was extremely effective as compared with prednison e and colchicine. This case provides further evidence that active hepa tic infection with HCV may be a cause of cryoglobulinemia and cutaneou s vasculitis. It also suggests that further studies of antiviral thera py for vasculitis should be explored.