title: Delayed onset of varicella keratitis.
abstract: Although varicella is one of the most common infectious diseases in the United States, systemic and ocular complications are rare. We report a patient who developed disciform edema followed by microdendritic keratitis 1 and 2 months, respectively, after resolution of the acute phase of varicella. Cultures were negative, but serologic analysis found positive antibodies against varicella zoster virus and negative antibodies against herpes simplex virus. Based on this case and on a review of the literature, we believe that this delayed onset of keratitis represents a distinct category of varicella corneal complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavan-Langston
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D014271:Trifluridine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014740:Vidarabine; D014271:Trifluridine; D011241:Prednisone