KERATITE AMIBIENNE A ACANTHAMOEBA SP. L'INFECTION PAR HSV1 AURAIT-ELLE UN ROLE ?

Many cases of human keratitis with Acanthamoeba sp. have a pseudo-herpetic appearance. The authors therefore evaluated the importance of co-infection with this virus in the onset of amoebic cornean lesions. After herpetic and amoebic co-infection rabbits showed severe cornean lesions, the viral aspect of cornea received a specific treatment. The amoebic co-infection progressed unchecked with severe lesions until day 37 p.i., in which trophozoites and cysts were numerous. The possible favourising role of HSV1 and Acanthamoeba sp. co-infection may exist in humans, just as it certainly exists in the rabbit.