[Primary herpetic infection after transfixing keratoplasty].

Purpose: To describe a case of herpes simplex virus primary infection after a corneal transplantation and to analyse different possible ways by which the infection could have been transmitted.

Methods: A corneal transplanted patient for a Fuchs dystrophy complains 10 days postoperatively of a flu-like syndrome with keratouveitis. Donor and recipient viral serologies and a polymerase chain reaction analysis of aqueous humor were performed.

Results: An herpetic seroconversion is observed with presence of type I herpes simplex virus (HSV I) nucleic acids in the recipient's aqueous humor. The donor herpetic serology is negative.

Conclusion: In this patient, the most probable routes of transmission of the virus are a viral reactivation from the trigeminal ganglion of the recipient, the presence of the virus in the corneal transplant or an external contamination.