Rates of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 in Ocular and Peri-ocular Specimens

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To evaluate the rates of Herpes Simplex Virus types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) in ocular specimens.

Methods

Retrospective case series of all patients with a positive laboratory evaluation for ocular HSV performed at the Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2017 were included in the study.

Results

A total of 423 specimens were positive for HSV-1 (99.3%, n = 419) or HSV-2 (0.7%; n = 4). The majority of positive tests were identified through DNA amplification (n = 352; 83%) testing while the remainder were obtained by viral culture (n = 71; 17%). Ocular disease caused by HSV-2 in this study included acute retinal necrosis (n = 2), keratitis (n = 1), and blepharitis (n = 1).

Conclusions

HSV type 2 is a rare cause of ocular and peri-ocular infection but may cause severe, vision threatening disease.

KEYWORDS:

• Herpes simplex keratitis
• keratitis
• conjunctivitis
• acute retinal necrosis
• blepharitis

Acknowledgments

Thanks to LabPlus staff, particularly Kitty Croxson, Rao Sirikonda, Mary Bilkey, and John Scott for compiling laboratory data and providing information regarding techniques.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.