IMMUNOLOGICAL THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA AS PRESENTING SYMPTOM OF HEPATITIS-C INFECTION

We report on 3 female patients with immunologic thrombocytopenic purpu ra (ITP) for whom diagnostic procedures evidenced a chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In 2 cases, a transfusion performed more than 10 years ago represented the probable way of contamination. One patie nt received a course of steroids, which normalized the platelet counts , Another one has been treated with repeated IV immunoglobulins, which induced partial responses of variable duration, HCV is responsible fo r many autoimmune manifestations and a search for this virus seems war ranted for exploring patients with ITP. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.