title: Progressive herpetic linear endotheliitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical course of a rare case of bilateral herpetic linear endotheliitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 70-year-old man presented with bilateral circumferential bullous edema with stromal edema progressing centrally in the left cornea and bilateral sensorineural hearing impairment simultaneously. Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) were tested for, and aqueous humor from both eyes was examined separately using polymerase chain reaction for the presence of HSV1 DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum antibody titers against HSV1 were positive. In the polymerase chain reaction, the aqueous humor showed HSV1 DNA in both eyes. Forty milligrams of prednisolone was given per day and 200 mg of oral acyclovir was given 4 times daily, but corneal edema progressed. After penetrating keratoplasty surgery in the left eye, recurrent herpetic endotheliitis also seemed to occur.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HSV-1 may cause bilateral corneal linear endotheliitis and hearing impairment simultaneously. Linear endotheliitis should be regarded as a manifestation of HSV1 corneal infection. There is a poor prognosis, and severe corneal edema can result if aggressive treatment is not used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, China. eric550131@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Ying-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chun-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000821:virology*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011239:Prednisolone; D000212:Acyclovir