Purpose: To report the cases of four patients with hepatitis C virus infection who experienced clinical features that are virtually identical to Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH).
Design: Retrospective observational case series.
Methods: Medical records of patients who were referred between January and December 2003 were reviewed for diagnosis and management of VKH and who also had chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
Results: Four white patients had the clinical features of VKH. Three of the patients experienced intraocular inflammation while they were being treated for HCV infection with pegylated interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin. The intraocular inflammation responded to systemic corticosteroid treatment and to discontinuation of antiviral agents.
Conclusion: Although the number of patients who were studied is limited, there appears to be an association between HCV infection that was treated with pegylated interferon alpha 2b and the development of VKH-like disease. Further studies are required to confirm such an association.