Herpes simplex virus keratitis in children.
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.
Chong
Eva-Marie
EM
Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, 6565 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Wilhelmus
Kirk R
KR
Matoba
Alice Y
AY
Jones
Dan B
DB
Coats
David K
DK
Paysse
Evelyn A
EA
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
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014740:Vidarabine; D014271:Trifluridine; D000212:Acyclovir