Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Oral Lichen Planus: A Report from Northeast of Iran

Introduction: Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease in oral mucosa and skin. Recently, reports have demonstrated a possible relationship between lichen planus and liver diseases. During the past decade, there has been a hypothesis regarding viral etiological agents that have been found to be in association with hepatotrophic viruses known as Hepatitis B and C with LP. This research was studied in Mashhad, northeast of Iran, to find a relationship between OLP and HBV infection. Methods: Age and gender of 134 patients (with OLP) and 134 controls (without OLP) were not matched and their serum samples were respectively screened for HBsAg by ELISA (third generation) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HBV-DNA. Results: Tests were positive (for both HBsAg and HBV-DNA) for 9 patients (6.71%) with OLP and 2 healthy individuals (1.49%) infected with HBV (P=0.03). Conclusion: There was a relationship between HBV and OLP in our population. Based on our findings, it is recommended that viral serology for Hepatitis B and OLP patients be conducted as a routine screening process.