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Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada disease associated with interferon alpha‐2b/ribavirin combination therapy
Author(s) -
Sylvestre D. L.,
Disston A. R.,
Bui D. P.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2893.2003.00456.x
Subject(s) - ribavirin , medicine , immunology , disease , hepatitis c virus , alpha interferon , interferon , context (archaeology) , hepatitis c , autoimmunity , interferon beta , combination therapy , immune system , virus , pathology , biology , paleontology
Summary. The complex immunological effects of interferon and ribavirin therapy (IFN/R) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) may also exacerbate or trigger the de novo development of autoimmunity. We report the first case of IFN/R therapy associated with Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada disease, a T‐cell‐mediated autoimmune response to melanocytes. This condition, which has characteristic ocular, neurological and integumentary findings, elicits a systemic prodrome that may mimic side‐effect profile and delay of IFN or mask its recognition. We discuss this disease in the context of the known immunomodulatory effects of IFN‐alpha and ribavirin and suggest potential mechanistic explanations for the association.