Severe pruritus after completing pegylated interferon for hepatitis C.

Porphyria cutanea tarda is a disease of disordered accumulation of heme, which is needed for biosynthesis of hepatic cytochromes. It most commonly occurs in a sporadic form among persons infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV); however, HIV infection is also a reported risk factor. Hepatic iron overload appears to play an important role in the pathogenesis of porphyria cutanea tarda.