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Thought this was interesting re: Herpes of the eye

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  • Thought this was interesting re: Herpes of the eye

    http://mobile.omg-facts.com/Science/...content=second

    Almost 100% of people older than 60 are diagnosed with eye herpes at their autopsy!
    Herpetic simplex keratitis is a form of keratitis caused by recurrent herpes simplex virus in cornea. Herpes simplex virus or HSV infection is very common in humans. Nearly 100 percent of those older than 60 years of age harbor HSV in their trigeminal ganglia at autopsy. It has been estimated that one third of the world population suffers from recurrent infection.

    Keratitis caused by HSV is the most common cause of cornea-derived blindness in developed nations Therefore, HSV infections are a large and worldwide public health problem. The global incidence (rate of new disease) of Herpes keratitis is roughly 1.5 million, including 40,000 new cases of severe monocular visual impairment or blindness each year. Primary infection most commonly manifests as blepharoconjunctivitis I.e. Infection of lids and conjunctiva that heals without scarring.

    Lid vesicles and conjunctivitis are seen in primary infection. Corneal involvement is rarely seen in primary infection. Recurrent herpes of the eye is caused by reactivation of the virus in a latently infected sensory ganglion, transport of the virus down the nerve axon to sensory nerve endings, and subsequent infection of the ocular surface.

    Source for above site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_of_the_eye

  • #2
    That is fascinating and important, Potatocakes. I wonder if undiagnosed 'infection' lodged in the body's microbiota may explain some more unrecognised symptoms in the future, systemic, gut, and localised eg to eyes, and my favourite, skin infections and reactions.

    Rebecca's blog http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/entry...rve-alteration 'Patients with unilateral HZO demonstrated a profound and significant bilateral loss of the corneal nerve plexus as compared with controls, demonstrating bilateral changes in a clinically unilateral disease. Loss of corneal sensation strongly correlated with subbasal nerve plexus alterations as shown by IVCM.'

    Topical steroids can't be used with a virus unless it's controlled or ruled out because they impair the immune system trying to fight it off.

    I wonder how many eye problems start with a virus with no obvious signs except cornea damage, especially in young children.

    Also, there's been some great work in Tunis on unrecognised bugs (dermatophyte infections) in eyes (PubMed 'Tunis eye infection') where their microbiology labs work closely with the Ophthalomologists, particularly from animals (zoonotic), and that includes the animals in our homes. Certainly can be the case with misdiagnosed skin rashes that affect eyes.

    It would be nice if testing just meant a quick swab or sample and look under the microscope, but it can involve culturing in different ways by experts. It's the way of the future though.

    The veterinary literature is so much better on this! eg Handbook of Veterinary Pharmacology

    Eradicating bugs isn't an easy answer because we need (symbiotic with) 'good' ones. Helping the body's immune system to control things again seems like a good plan, ie keeping well
    Last edited by littlemermaid; 10-Jun-2013, 05:33.
    Paediatric ocular rosacea ~ primum non nocere

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