Palpable purpura at the site of previous herpes zoster in association with mixed cryoglobulinemia and hepatitis C virus infection.
A 70-year-old woman affected with chronic active hepatitis C and mixed cryoglobulinemia presented a palpable purpura on her abdominal skin in a metameric configuration, fourteen months after a herpes zoster in the same site. Histopathology showed a small vessel leukocytoclastic vasculitis in the superficial dermis. Post-zoster eruptions are variable, and their spectrum is still expanding, although the pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. Perhaps our case represents an isomorphic reaction, because this palpable purpura, probably related to HCV infection, occurred several months after herpes zoster.
Cecchi
R
R
Department of Dermatology, Spedali Riuniti, 51100, Pistoia, Italy.
Giomi
A
A
Paoli
S
S
D000005:Abdomen; D000368:Aged; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D011693:Purpura / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology