title: Herpes simplex virus keratitis in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the spectrum and recurrence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis in children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients younger than age 16 years were diagnosed with HSV keratitis at one institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All children presented with dendritic or punctate epithelial keratitis, and stromal keratitis occurred concurrently with epithelial keratitis in 14 patients (61%). Six patients (26%) had bilateral HSV keratitis. Eleven patients (48%) developed recurrent HSV keratitis at a median of 15 months after the first documented episode. Amblyopia occurred in three children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with herpetic keratitis may have bilateral ocular involvement and are at risk for recurrent keratitis and amblyopia.
authors.affiliation: Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, 6565 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Eva-Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Kirk R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Wilhelmus
authors.forename: Alice Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Matoba
authors.forename: Dan B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: David K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Coats
authors.forename: Evelyn A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Paysse
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000293:Adolescent; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000209:etiology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000821:virology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014271:Trifluridine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014740:Vidarabine; D014271:Trifluridine; D000212:Acyclovir