LONG-TERM ORAL ACYCLOVIR THERAPY - EFFECT ON RECURRENT INFECTIOUS HERPES-SIMPLEX KERATITIS IN PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT GRAFTS

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of long-term oral acyclovir therapy in reducing recurrences of dendritic or geographic herpes simplex kera titis (HSK), Methods: Thirteen patients with a history of frequently r ecurring HSK were followed before (mean, 27 months) and during long-te rm systemic acyclovir, and eight were followed after the acyclovir was discontinued, Results: Treatment ranged from 8.5 to 62 months (mean, 34 months), During treatment, the number of recurrences per month decr eased from 0.15 to 0.03, and the average duration of relapses decrease d from 12.6 to 7.8 days. Recurrences correlated with daily doses of or al acyclovir of 800 mg or less, intraocular surgery within 6 weeks of initiating treatment, and discontinuation of therapy against medical a dvice, Conclusion: The results of this small study appear to demonstra te the efficacy of long-term oral acyclovir in prophylaxis of recurren t epithelial herpes simplex infection: therapeutic doses of oral acycl ovir reduce both the rate and duration of recurrences of infectious he rpetic keratitis. A multicenter, double-masked, placebo-controlled stu dy is indicated.