Herpes simplex virus vaccine in recurrent herpetic ocular infection.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of an antiherpetic vaccine in recurrent herpetic ocular infections.


METHODS
Twenty patients with herpes simplex virus 1-related recurrent keratitis/keratouveitis were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either a specific vaccination with heat shock-inactivated herpes simplex virus type 1 (10 patients) or to be observed as controls (10 patients). The number, duration, and anatomic localization of relapses were recorded in all the patients for 12 months before inclusion in the study and for a similar period after the assignment of each subject to vaccine or control group.


RESULTS
In the vaccine group, we observed a reduction both in the number (p = 0.016) and average duration (p = 0.050) of recurrences, whereas in the control group, no significant change was found comparing a 12-month period before and after inclusion in the study. The comparison between the two groups highlighted a significant reduction in the number (p = 0.013) and average duration (p = 0.051) of relapses in treated subjects, who did not show any significant vaccine-induced side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of a vaccination with heat shock-inactivated herpes simplex virus 1 seems to be able to reduce the number and duration of relapses in herpes simplex virus 1-related keratitis/keratouveitis.
Pivetti-Pezzi
P
P
Servizio Speciale di Immunovirologia Oculare, Istituto di Oftalmologia, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Accorinti
M
M
Colabelli-Gisoldi
R A
RA
Pirraglia
M P
MP
Sirianni
M C
MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines