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Successful treatment of dendritic keratitis with human leukocyte interferon

A controlled clinical study

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Albrecht von Graefes Archiv für klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

There were 40 virologically confirmed cases of dendritic keratitis treated in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. After thermomechanical debridement of the corneal epithelium, the patients received two drops of human leukocyte interferon (HLI) twice daily. The activity was 3×106 units/ml. HLI significantly accelerated healing and inhibited virus shedding. It remains to be studied whether HLI will be equally effective in the prophylaxis of late herpes recurrences.

Zusammenfassung

40 Patienten mit virologisch gesicherter Keratitis dendritica wurden im Rahmen einer randomisierten, Placebo-kontrollierten Doppelblindstudie behandelt. Nach thermomechanischer Abrasio des Hornhautepithels erhielten sie zweimal täglich 2 Tropfen Humanleukozyteninterferon (HLI), dessen Aktivität 3×106 Einheiten/ml betrug. HLI beschleunigte signifikant die Heilung und unterbrach die weitere Virusvermehrung. Es bleibt zu prüfen, ob sich der gleiche gute Erfolg auch bei der Interferon-Prophylaxe herpetischer Spätrezidive zeigt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Eye Clinic and Department of Virology, D-7800, Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    Rainer Sundmacher & Dieter Neumann-Haefelin

  2. Central Public Health Laboratory, Helsinki, Finland

    Kari Cantell

Authors
  1. Rainer Sundmacher
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  2. Dieter Neumann-Haefelin
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  3. Kari Cantell
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Additional information

This investigation was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 31, Medizinische Virologie.

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Sundmacher, R., Neumann-Haefelin, D. & Cantell, K. Successful treatment of dendritic keratitis with human leukocyte interferon. Albrecht von Graefes Arch. Klin. Ophthalmol. 201, 39–45 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00410146

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00410146

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