Anterior segment mechanisms of protection during herpes simplex virus 1 infection.

摘要

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are linear double-stranded DNA viruses that are highly disseminated in nature and characterized by lifetime latency in their host;1 they are also a leading cause of infectious corneal blindness in the United States2 and a major cause of corneal opacity worldwide. One example is HSV-1, which causes herpes stromal keratitis (HSK), an infection of the corneal stroma that, if not appropriately treated, may result in vascularization and scarring that may eventually lead to blindness.