HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS KERATITIS AMONG PATIENTS WHO ARE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE FOR HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY

Purpose: The authors compare the incidence and clinical course of herp es simplex virus (HSV) keratitis among patients who are positive and n egative for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods: A retrospecti ve cohort study was designed. Outcomes measured in both groups include d incidence of HSV keratitis, lesion type (epithelial vs. stromal), le sion location (central vs. peripheral), treatment time, time to first recurrence, and recurrence rate. Results: There was no statistically s ignificant difference between the groups for any of the outcomes measu red except for recurrence rate. The recurrence rate was 2.48 times mor e frequent among patients positive for HIV (1 recurrence per 587 perso n-days of follow-up among patients positive for HIV vs. 1 per 1455 per son-days among patients negative for HIV). Conclusions: Except for rec urrence rate, the incidence and clinical course of HSV keratitis in th is study were no different among patients positive and negative for HI V.