Herpes simplex virus keratitis: an update of the pathogenesis and current treatment with oral and topical antiviral agents.
Ophthalmic herpes simplex viral keratitis is responsible for a range of ocular manifestations from superficial epithelial disease to stromal keratitis and endotheliitis. The Herpetic Eye Disease Study has guided the management of herpetic eye disease for almost twenty years, but newer medications such as valacyclovir are now available and are considered to have better bioavailability than acyclovir. In this review, we examine the existing evidence on the pathogenesis of different ophthalmic herpes simplex viral keratitis disease modalities and the role of oral and topically administered antiviral drugs in the treatment of herpes simplex viral keratitis.
Royal Eye Infirmary, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Dorchester, UK.|Southampton University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.|Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.|University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Michael
M
Tsatsos
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Cheryl
C
MacGregor
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Ioannis
I
Athanasiadis
University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Marilita M
MM
Moschos
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Parwez
P
Hossain
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
David
D
Anderson
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003646:Debridement; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014633:Valine; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D000212:Acyclovir
acyclovir; ganciclovir; herpes simplex keratitis; valacyclovir