title: Oropharyngeal pemphigus in a patient with chronic hepatitis C during interferon alpha-2a therapy.
abstract: There are a few reports in the literature concerning pemphigus induced by interferon given for hepatitis C. We present the case of a 28-year-old woman with post-transfusional chronic hepatitis C who developed ulcers and vesicles on her tongue, cheeks, posterior oropharynx and vocal cords 5 months after beginning treatment with recombinant interferon alpha-2a. The direct and indirect immunofluorescence was diagnostic of pemphigus vulgaris. The drug was promptly withdrawn; the patient was medicated with prednisolone and azathioprine and recovered only 3 months later. Although there are several publications describing the occurrence of other autoimmune diseases in patients receiving interferon alpha therapy, this is the first report of a pemphigus induced by interferon in hepatitis C patients involving oropharyngeal and laryngeal mucosae without cutaneous involvement.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Hospital Santa Maria, Medical School of Lisbon, Portugal. rltmarinho@mail.telepac.pt
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Fatela
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Serejo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Glória
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Raimundo
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Velosa
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ramalho
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Moura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins