Borderline tuberculoid leprosy and type 1 leprosy reaction in a hepatitis C patient during treatment with interferon and ribavirin

Abstract

Hepatitis C is an inflammatory disease of the liver caused by a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Hepacivirus genus in the Flaviviridae family, called the hepatitis C virus. After initial infection, 70% to 85% of the patients develop chronic hepatitis C with hepatic fibrosis. In addition to specific liver changes, various extrahepatic manifestations have been associated with the hepatitis C virus infection or with medications used to treat the condition. We report the case of a patient with chronic hepatitis C who presented with the signs and symptoms of borderline tuberculoid leprosy and type 1 reaction four months after the start of treatment with a pegylated interferon/ribavirin combination.