Medical expert of the article
New publications
Herpes simplex virus and eye disease in children
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Congenital herpetic infection of newborns is associated with infection of the mother's genital tract. Infection is almost always transmitted during childbirth, rarely intrauterine infection occurs after rupture of membranes. Common manifestations are characterized by a high prevalence of the pathological process and a high mortality rate.
Common manifestations of herpes simplex include:
- skin rash (almost in 100% of cases);
- hepatitis;
- pneumonia;
- encephalitis.
Disorders from the side of the organ of vision with simple herpes include:
- acute conjunctivitis and blepharitis with the formation of a vesicle rash on the eyelids;
- chorioretinitis;
- uveitis;
- rarely - necrotizing uveitis;
- cataracts.
Most often the herpes simplex virus affects the cornea, causing acute keratoconjunctivitis, sometimes in a tree or stromal form. Significantly less common is peripheral retinitis.
Diagnosis of eye diseases in children with simple herpes
The diagnosis is based on scrapings from the conjunctiva in the vesicle area, in which the presence of multinucleated giant cells is sought, by culturing the contents of vesicles and detecting IgM specific antibodies.
[11]
What do need to examine?
How to examine?
What tests are needed?
Treatment of eye diseases in children with simple herpes
At the general or common displays spend therapy acyclovir, entering a preparation intravenously 3 times a day (a daily dose - 30 mg / kg of weight). Herpetic keratoconjunctivitis is an indication for the administration of instillations of idoxuridine, acyclovir or triflurotimidine.