title: Ten years of experience with human fibroblast interferon in treatment of viral ophthalmic infections.
abstract: This review of ten years of experience presents the results of clinical use of human beta-interferon (Frone) in viral ocular disease. Two forms of human beta-interferon have been used: (a) Frone cream 20,000 IU/g (Inter-Yeda Ltd.) for local treatment and prevention of HSV-1 periocular skin lesions and for Herpes zoster ophthalmicus. (b) Frone eye drops (500,000-1,000,000 U) for prophylaxis and treatment of adenovirus infections and for prevention of recurrent HSV-1 keratitis. Our results show that Frone cream or drops, applied at an early stage, is: (a) Effective in significantly shortening the course of the disease; (b) Has a drying effect on herpetic skin lesions, and tear secretion in adeno viral disease; (c) Reduces the frequency from 1.2 to 0.04 attacks per year for patients with known biological rhythm of the disease; (d) Prevents subepithelial keratitis in 45% of the study population; (e) Prophylactic treatment of interferon in families reduces the incidence of contamination from 65% to 20%.
authors.affiliation: Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger Eye Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sadan
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000287:Administration, Topical; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003236:Conjunctivitis, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000188:drug therapy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I