COLD STRESS-INDUCED RECURRENCES OF HERPETIC-KERATITIS IN THE SQUIRREL-MONKEY

Purpose. Models of recurrent herpetic keratitis that depend on tissue damage or immunosuppression have been described. The authors report a model that depends only on minimal temperature stress to produce clini cal recurrences in a small primate. Methods. Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) infected by the ocular route with the Rodanus strain of her pesvirus type 1 (HSV-1) were exposed to temperatures approximately 5 d egrees C lower than the usual ambient temperature for periods as short as 12 hours. Results. The corneas showed more or larger lesions typic al of recurrent herpetic keratitis than are usually seen in these anim als under normal conditions. Statistical analysis showed that there we re significantly higher frequencies of epithelial keratitis at 18 degr ees C and 20 degrees C (P < 0.0001). Conclusions. A minimal temperatur e change produced significant recurrences in this small animal within a short time. Tissues were not damaged to produce the recurrences. Thi s approach may provide an efficient primate model for rapid testing of drugs to prevent clinical recurrence of ocular herpetic keratitis.