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Alfredo Rebora, MD
Department of Dermatology University of Genoa Genoa 16132, Italy

Arch Dermatol. 1994;130(10):1328-1329.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

An association between viral infection and lichen planus (LP) was postulated long ago, but only recently has evidence been presented that incriminated the hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses.

The importance of HBV has been documented by the Italian Group for Epidemiologic Studies in Derma- tology.¹ In a study of 577 newly diagnosed LP patients and 1008 control subjects, HBsAg-positive patients of any age and sex had at least double the risk of developing LP compared with HBsAg-negative patients.¹ Anecdotal reports of anti-HBV antibodies in LP patients, of LP eruption following HBV vaccination, and of the association of LP with hepatocarcinoma, an HBV/HCV-linked cancer, are additional evidence for such an association.2 In a series of 87 LP patients, 27 (31%) were found to be anti— HBV-positive.²

Infection with HCV has been investigated more recently.³ In a series of 79 LP patients,⁴ 21 (26%) were . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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