title: The association between oral lichen planus and hepatitis C virus infection; a report from northeast of iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and oral lichen planus (OLP) has been the focus of many studies. Fifteen percent of HCV infections lead to sets of extrahepatic manifestations including lichen planus (LP). The prevalence of HCV is heavily influenced by geographical location.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between OLP and HCV infection in Mashhad, northeast of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were taken from 134 OLP patients and 134 healthy controls (without OLP) to screen for anti-HCV by ELISA (third generation) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for HCV-RNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 134 OLP patients only three (2.23 %) had HCV infection where both anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were positive. All controls were negative for both anti-HCV and HCV-RNA (P = 0.082).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our investigation illustrated that the prevalence of hepatitis C was higher among OLP patients compared to the control group. These findings are in line with previous results that reported a hepatitis C prevalence of 0.19% among the general population of Mashhad.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerayli
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Meshkat
authors.affiliation: Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran ; Division of Applied Medicine, Medical School, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasdar
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Pegah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mosannen Mozafari
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Banihashemi
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Amin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khajavi
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Javid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rasekhi
keywords: Epidemiology; HCV-RNA; Hepatitis C; Iran; Lichen Planus, Oral; Viral Infections; anti-HCV