AGGRAVATION OF HERPETIC STROMAL KERATITIS AFTER MURINE EPIDERMAL GROWN FACTOR TOPICAL APPLICATION

We evaluated the epithelializing-promoting effect of a concentration o f 0.005 mg/ml murine epidermal growth factor (mEGF), topically adminis tered four times daily, on the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) corneal ulcers of the rabbit eye. The severity of the herpetic lesions was eva luated clinically, after the time course of the severity of epithelial keratitis, conjunctivitis, iritis, and stromal disease, for 14 days. A histological assessment was performed in the middle and at the end o f the follow-up. The stromal keratitis of the mEGF-treated group was s ignificantly more severe than the keratitis exhibited by the placebo-t reated rabbits (Y = X3 X2X4; p = 0.0001). There were no significant d ifferences in the degree of conjunctivitis, epithelial keratitis, irit is, and virus shedding between these groups. No evidence of a toxic ef fect of mEGF or placebo was found in the mock infected rabbit eyes. Mo re studies, using different herpes virus strains and a broad range of murine and human EGF concentrations, are mandatory to ascertain the ge neral significance of these results. Meanwhile, caution is recommended when using mEGF in the presence of an occult or manifest herpetic eye disease.