Alopecia Universalis Following Interferon Alfa-2b and Ribavirin Treatment for Hepatitis C

In 2007, a case was reported of a woman with hepatitis C who developed alopecia universalis (AU), a condition causing total body hair loss, following treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2b (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV). This was the first reported case of AU in the United States associated with PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. The woman experienced significant hair loss from her scalp, eyebrows, and body during the 48-week treatment period. Despite discontinuing the treatment, no hair regrowth was observed within the first year. However, hair regrowth was seen 1 year after the discontinuation of PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. The study suggested that interferon alfa-2b may induce production of autoantibodies directed at follicular epithelium, leading to AU. Despite this side effect, the authors concluded that patients should not be discouraged from initiating or completing their treatment for chronic hepatitis C, given the benign and reversible nature of AU associated with PEG-IFN/RBV treatment.