Drug prevents herpes return to the eye. - Free Online Library
herpes febri´lis see h. simplex One way transmission. Contrast with half-duplex and full-duplex..
genital herpes , herpes genita´lis herpes simplex herpes simplex (hûr`pēz), an acute viral infection of the skin characterized by one or more painful, itching blisters filled with clear fluid. due to type 2 virus, primarily transmitted sexually via genital secretions and involving the genital region; in women, the vesicular stage may give rise to confluent, painful ulcerations and may be accompanied by neurologic symptoms.
infection of the eye that tends to recur. A new study suggests a way to thwart the herpes simplex virus and prevent loss of vision. Kirk R. Wilhelmus of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and his colleagues studied 703 people who had reported a previous herpes infection of the eye.
Although the immune system may clear the initial disease, it often doesn't kill the herpes simplex virus, which can remain in hiding for months or even years--causing another round of disease when it revs up again.
The virus can also infect the mouth or genital region. The drug acyclovir">acyclovir acyclovir /acy·clo·vir/ (a-si´klo-ver) a synthetic purine nucleoside with selective activity against herpes simplex virus; used as the base or the sodium salt in the treatment of genital and mucocutaneous herpesvirus infections.
a·cy·clo·vir ( prevents recurrence of herpes disease there. Could acyclovir block a flare-up of the disease in the eye as well?
To find out, the researchers gave approximately half the study participants 400 milligrams of acyclovir twice a day for a year, while the controls received a placebo pill. Herpes infections to the eye were recorded.
The researchers observed that acyclovir reduced the recurrence of herpes infection of the eye by 41 percent during the year of treatment. After the acyclovir treatment ended, the number of recurrences increased to match that of the control group. Wilhelmus and his colleagues report their findings in the July 30 New England Journal of Medicine.
The team also noted that the therapy lowered by about 50 percent the risk of a return of the most severe form of the disease, stromal keratitis
keratitis bullo´sa presence of blebs upon the cornea.
dendriform keratitis , dendritic keratitis herpetic keratitis which results in a branching ulceration of the cornea.
herpetic keratitis
. Stromal keratitis occurs when the virus invades the inner layer of the eye's cornea where it can lead to scarring and loss of vision. 1. that, commonly with dendritic ulceration (dendriform or dendritic k.), due to infection with herpes simplex virus.
The study detected no side effects that could be attributed directly to the drug.
The findings suggest that people who have had stromal keratitis should consider taking acyclovir over the long term, perhaps even for life, to prevent a recurrence, says Scott Whitcup of the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Md.