Herpes simplex virus in human cornea, retrocorneal fibrous membrane, and vitreous.
A case of recurrent herpes simplex virus keratouveitis was studied using both electron microscopic and viral culture techniques. We describe a patient who had a particularly violent course, including three failed grafts, endophthalmitis, and wound leak. We report the identification of virus in a quiescent failed corneal graft and retrocorneal membrane; persistence of virus enabling its culture from the vitreous; and electron microscopic identification in the cornea removed at the third transplant. The identification of cases in which viral proliferation occurs is necessary for a greater understanding of the pathogenesis of herpetic corneal disease and for determining in which particular patient steroid therapy should be avoided.
D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D004727:Endothelium / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014605:Uveitis / Q000382:microbiology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000382:microbiology*