Human herpes simplex virus keratitis: the pathogenesis revisited

Abstract

Infections with several members of the human herpesviruses are the cause of significant ocular morbidity. Of the human herpesviruses, HSV-1 is the most frequent cause of primary and recurrent eye disease. Despite the availability of effective antiviral treatment, recurrent HSV-1 infection continues to be the leading cause of corneal blindness in industrialized nations. This review recapitulates the current insights in the role of the virus and the intra-corneal T cell response involved in the pathogenesis of human HSV-1-induced keratitis.