<b>An epidemic of porphyria cutanea tarda?</b>

    February 2000 in “ International Journal of Dermatology ”
    Ryan Brashear, Dina Began, Jeff Zarp Petersen, Tsu‐Yi Chuang
    TLDR Hepatitis C and alcohol abuse may lead to porphyria cutanea tarda.
    The document described four cases of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) diagnosed at Wishard Memorial Hospital in 1998, all involving men with a history of polysubstance abuse, including alcohol, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The patients presented with symptoms such as blistering and fragile skin on the hands, hypertrichosis, and elevated liver enzymes. Diagnostic tests revealed significantly elevated levels of porphyrins in urine. Therapeutic phlebotomies were initiated for treatment. The cases highlighted a potential link between HCV, alcohol abuse, and the development of PCT.
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