There are seven types of porphyria, each differing slightly according to the specific enzyme which is defective. The clincial symptoms overlap however porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) , erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) and congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) are associated only with skin disease, but not with acute attacks. Variegate porphyria (VP) and hereditary coproporphyria (HCP) are associated with both. Variegate porphyria is common in South Africa, The other forms of porphyria are also encountered in South Africa, but less frequently.