Role of human herpes virus 6 in corneal inflammation alone or with human herpesviruses.

Purpose: : The purpose of this study was to determine the association of human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) and/or other human herpesviruses in corneal inflammation using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Methods: : We collected tear films, conjunctival smears, and a corneal button of inflamed cornea, and the presence of HHV-6 and other herpesviruses in these samples were assessed by a nested PCR.

Results: : In tear films collected from 3 of 9 patients with dendritic keratitis, HHV-6 DNA was positive twice, together with herpes simplex virus (HSV) or varicella zoster virus DNA most often, during the acute phase of the disease. Two other patients in this group were either positive for HSV-1 and varicella zoster virus or for HSV-1 and Epstein-Barr virus DNA but negative for HHV-6. When another 12 patients' smear samples from corneal ulcer or keratouveitis were examined, 9 were positive for HHV-6 DNA. Of these, 4 were positive for HSV-1 simultaneously, whereas the remaining 5 patients were negative for HSV-1. One patient's smear was positive for HSV-1 but not for HHV-6. In the corneal button, both HSV and HHV-6 DNAs were positive by nested PCR. HHV-6 was also positive by nested PCR in the conjunctival swab obtained from the contralateral inflamed eye of the patient.

Conclusions: : In 22 patients with corneal inflammation, HHV-6 was positive in 14 of 22 patients and HSV-1 was found in 9 of those patients. These data indicated that the association of HHV-6 with disease was more frequent than with other herpesviruses and that HHV-6 may be another sole causative agent for corneal inflammation.