title: The survival of herpes simplex virus in preserved murine corneas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the survival of HSV in infected mouse corneas, in the conditions of normal human eye bank preservation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred seventy-two BALB/C mice infected with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) (KOS) were randomly assigned to either: no preservation in group 1 (n = 62), 31 degrees C preservation for 3 weeks in group 2 (n = 70) or 4 degrees C preservation for 8 days in group 3 (n = 40). The presence of HSV-1 was thereafter detected by viral culture and PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In groups 1, 2 and 3, HSV-1 was detected by culture in 22 (35.5%), 1 (1.4%) and 0 (0.0%) of the corneas, and by PCR in 27 (43.7%), 3 (4.2%) and 7 (17.5%) of the corneas respectively. When compared to group 1, HSV was detected significantly less often in groups 2 (p < 0.0001) and 3 (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HSV-1 DNA undergoes a degradation during corneal preservation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, EA 3175, CHU Dupuytren, Limoges, France. pierre-yves.robert@unilim.fr
authors.forename: Pierre-Yves
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ducher
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pleyer
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Denis
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Adenis
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ranger-Rogez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral