Dk. Dhaliwal et al., Valacyclovir inhibition of recovery of ocular herpes simplex virus type 1 after experimental reactivation by laser in situ keratomileusis, J CAT REF S, 27(8), 2001, pp. 1288-1293
Purpose. To determine whether the systemic administration of valacyclovir (
Valtrex(R)) reduces ocular shedding of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)
after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK in the New Zealand White (NZW) ra
bbit latency model,
Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Me
dicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,
Methods: New Zealand White rabbits latently infected with HSV-1 W strain we
re divided into 3 groups. The first received 100 mg/kg/day of valacyclovir;
the second, 200 mg/ kg/day of valacyclovir; and the third (control), salin
e. One half the total dose of valacyclovir was delivered via intraperitonea
l injections twice daily for 7 days beginning with 1 dose before LASIK The
HSV-1 ocular shedding was determined from eye cultures for 7 days after LAS
K
Results: The administration of both 100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day of vala
cyclovir significantly reduced the number of eyes (1/16 in both groups) and
the total number of HSV-1 shedding days (1/122 and 2/122, respectively) fr
om which HSV-1 was recovered compared to the control group (7/16 [P =.0396]
and 14/129 [P <.007], respectively),
Conclusions: Systemic administration of valacyclovir significantly reduced
HSV-1 ocular shedding after LASIK in the NZW rabbit latency model, The clin
ical implications of this study suggest that patients with a history of rec
urrent ocular herpes may be able to safely have LASIK with less risk of a r
ecurrent herpetic episode while on valacyclovir antiviral prophylaxis, J Ca
taract Refract Surg 2001; 27.,1288-1293 (C) 2001 ASCRS and ESCRS.