title: No association of oral lichen planus and hepatitis C virus infection in central Germany.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Co-occurrence of oral lichen planus (OLP) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection suggests a strong association, but the relation between mucocutaneus, autoimmune lichen planus and HCV infection remains unclear. In areas with higher prevalence of HCV infection in general population, like Japan and southern Europe, 20 to 40 % of patients with OLP test positive for anti-HCV antibodies, whereas in German populations, a co-occurrence of 4.2 to 16 % was reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  We screened 143 patients with histopathologically proven OLP for prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies. Additionally, we examined 51 anti-HCV-positive subjects with current or past HCV infection for clinical symptoms of OLP. In all patients, confirmatory diagnosis was made by the detection of HCV RNA via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A randomized control group comprised 109 blood sera samples of patients without any characteristics of OLP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of all patients showed no co-occurrence in either cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, no association between oral lichen planus and chronic HCV infection in our study population was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-HCV antibody screening in patients with confirmed oral lichen planus is not indicated routinely in central Germany.
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical and Experimental Oral Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. torsten.remmerbach@uniklinik-leipzig.de.|Dental Clinic, Department of Head Medicine and Oral Health, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. torsten.remmerbach@uniklinik-leipzig.de.|Department of Oral & Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. torsten.remmerbach@uniklinik-leipzig.de.|Griffith Institute of Health, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia. torsten.remmerbach@uniklinik-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Torsten W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Remmerbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liese
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical and Experimental Oral Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St. George Hospital, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingolf
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schiefke
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schiefke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Liebert
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
keywords: Anti-HCV antibodies; HCV prevalence; Hepatitis C; Oral lichen; RT PCR