Herpetic keratitis in zinc-deficient rabbits.
In a study of 57 rabbits, we found that zinc played a vital role in the growth of the rabbit and in its immunocompetence. Both humoral and cellular immunity were depressed in the zinc-deficient rabbit. Not only did zinc-deficient animals fail to gain weight, differing in that respect from rabbits on a regular diet, but they also had a high death rate, in contrast with no deaths among normal rabbits. Herpes simplex virus keratitis, both epithelial and stromal, was more severe in the zinc-deficient rabbit but was not improved by local zinc replacement (zinc sulphate ointment, 0.05%); Zinc sulphate ointment (1%), which is four times stronger than commercially available zinc ophthalmic preparations, was severely toxic for the rabbit cornea.
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012882:Skin Tests; D013431:Sulfates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000633:toxicity; D019287:Zinc Sulfate
D013431:Sulfates; D019287:Zinc Sulfate; D015032:Zinc