Evidence in the prevention of the recurrence of herpes simplex and herpes zoster keratitis after eye surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Herpetic keratitis, either due to herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) or herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), can recur after eye surgery.º Prophylaxis is postulated as necessary to avoid it. The objective of this study was to review the scientific evidence on the preventive methods used in the perioperative period in patients previously affected by HSK/HZO. METHODS: An exhaustive search was carried out in the PubMed and Web of Science databases to identify relevant articles on prophylaxis and risk of recurrence of HSK/HZO in patients undergoing eye surgery up to 31 December 2019. RESULTS: There is strong evidence that oral prophylaxis should be recommended after penetrating keratoplasty in patients who have previously had HSK/HZO. For other types of surgery, the evidence is less compelling. However, a latent period of inactivity should be considered between disease and oral prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Penetrating and lamellar keratoplasty, corneal crosslinking, cataract surgery, and photorefractive and phototherapeutic surgery cause an alteration of the subbasal nerve plexus of the cornea. Due to surgical trauma, as well as the modulation of the ocular immune response caused by steroids applied in the postoperative period, it is possible to induce the reactivation of HSK/HZO, which is common in some cases. Within this article, we discuss the available evidence for HSK/HZO prophylaxis in eye surgery. Further studies are necessary to define the real risk of HSK/HZO recurrence after ocular surgeries, particularly in cataract surgery, and to confirm the efficacy of perioperative prophylaxis with anti-HSK/HZO antivirals.

Evidencia en la prevención de la recurrencia de queratitis por herpes simple y herpes zóster tras cirugía ocular / Evidence in the prevention of the recurrence of herpes simplex and herpes zoster keratitis after eye surgery

Propósito: La queratitis herpética, ya sea por herpes simple (HSK) o por herpes zóster oftálmico (HZO) puede presentar recaídas tras la cirugía ocular. Se postula como necesaria una profilaxis para evitarla. El objetivo de este estudio es revisar la evidencia científica sobre los métodos preventivos empleados en el período perioperatorio en pacientes previamente afectados de HSK/HZO.MétodosSe ha realizado una búsqueda exhaustiva en las bases de datos PubMed y Web of Science para identificar artículos relevantes sobre profilaxis y riesgo de recurrencia de HSK/HZO en pacientes sometidos a cirugía ocular hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2019.ResultadosHay pruebas sólidas de que la profilaxis oral debe recomendarse tras una queratoplastia penetrante en pacientes que hayan sufrido previamente HSK/HZO. Para otros tipos de cirugías, la evidencia es menos convincente; sin embargo, debe considerarse un período latente de inactividad entre la enfermedad y la profilaxis oral.ConclusionesLa queratoplastia penetrante y lamelar, crosslinking corneal, cirugía de catarata y cirugía fotorrefractiva y fototerapéutica provocan una alteración del plexo nervioso sub-basal de la cornea. Debido al traumatismo quirúrgico, así como a la modulación de la respuesta inmunológica ocular causada por los esteroides aplicados en el postoperatorio, es posible inducir la reactivación de HSK/HZO, siendo en algunos casos común. Dentro del presente artículo discutimos la evidencia disponible para la profilaxis de HSK/HZO en cirugía ocular. Son necesarios estudios adicionales para definir el riesgo real de recurrencia de HSK/HZO después de cirugías oculares, particularmente en cirugía de catarata y para confirmar la eficacia de la profilaxis perioperatoria con antivíricos anti HSK/HZO (AU)

Objective: Herpetic keratitis, either due to herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) or herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), can recur after eye surgery.° Prophylaxis is postulated as necessary to avoid it. The objective of this study was to review the scientific evidence on the preventive methods used in the perioperative period in patients previously affected by HSK/HZO.MethodsAn exhaustive search was carried out in the PubMed and Web of Science databases to identify relevant articles on prophylaxis and risk of recurrence of HSK/HZO in patients undergoing eye surgery up to 31 December 2019.ResultsThere is strong evidence that oral prophylaxis should be recommended after penetrating keratoplasty in patients who have previously had HSK/HZO. For other types of surgery, the evidence is less compelling. However, a latent period of inactivity should be considered between disease and oral prophylaxis.ConclusionsPenetrating and lamellar keratoplasty, corneal crosslinking, cataract surgery, and photorefractive and phototherapeutic surgery cause an alteration of the subbasal nerve plexus of the cornea. Due to surgical trauma, as well as the modulation of the ocular immune response caused by steroids applied in the postoperative period, it is possible to induce the reactivation of HSK/HZO, which is common in some cases. Within this article, we discuss the available evidence for HSK/HZO prophylaxis in eye surgery. Further studies are necessary to define the real risk of HSK/HZO recurrence after ocular surgeries, particularly in cataract surgery, and to confirm the efficacy of perioperative prophylaxis with anti-HSK/HZO antivirals (AU)

Effectiveness of the Recombinant Zoster Vaccine for Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in the United States.

PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) for preventing herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) in the general United States population. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals enrolled in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse (OLDW; OptumLabs, Cambridge, MA) who were age eligible for herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination (≥50 years of age) from 2018 through 2019. The OLDW is a longitudinal, de-identified administrative claims and electronic health record database of patients in the United States with commercial insurance, Medicare Part D, or Medicare Advantage METHODS: Patients were required to have 365 days or more of continuous enrollment to be eligible. Those with a diagnosis code of HZ or an immunocompromising condition within 1 year before study inclusion were excluded. Vaccination with the RZV was ascertained by Current Procedural Terminology codes, and HZO was ascertained by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratio of HZO associated with RZV, and inverse-probability weighting was used to control for confounding. Vaccine effectiveness was calculated from hazard ratios. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of HZO in vaccinated versus unvaccinated person-times and vaccine effectiveness were assessed. RESULTS: From January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2019, a total of 4 842 579 individuals were included in this study. One hundred seventy-seven thousand two hundred eighty-nine (3.7%) received 2 valid doses of RZV. The incidence rate of HZO was 25.5 cases (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.4-35.8 cases) per 100 000 person-years in the vaccinated group compared with 76.7 cases (95% CI, 74.7-78.7 cases) in the unvaccinated group. The overall adjusted effectiveness of RZV against HZO was 89.1% (95% CI, 82.9%-93.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of RZV against HZO in individuals 50 years of age and older is high in a clinical setting. However, the low vaccination rate in this study highlights the public health need to increase HZV use. Ophthalmologists can play an important role in recommending vaccination to eligible patients.

Presumed Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Reactivation Following Recombinant Zoster Vaccination.

PURPOSE: To report a case of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) reactivation after recombinant zoster vaccination. METHODS: A 78-year-old woman, with a history of HZO 20 years ago, was referred for progressive corneal thinning in her left eye that started 1 week after her second dose of recombinant zoster vaccination. RESULTS: At presentation, visual acuity was counting fingers. Corneal sensation was markedly decreased. Slit lamp examination revealed a temporal paracentral epithelial defect 1.5 × 2.0 mm in size with 40% thinning and surrounding stromal inflammation suggestive of stromal keratitis with ulceration. The patient was started on oral valacyclovir, topical erythromycin ointment, and hourly topical lubrication. A bandage contact lens was placed and was replaced 1 week later with self-retained cryopreserved amniotic membrane ring. The ring was removed in the following week when the thinned area was epithelialized with no further evidence of stromal lysis. CONCLUSIONS: HZO reactivation after recombinant zoster vaccination is uncommon but possible. Ophthalmologists should remain aware of potential risks of zoster vaccination and take special precautions in patients with HZO history.

[Ocular manifestations of viral diseases]. / Atteintes ophtalmologiques des infections virales.

Viral infections may involve all ocular tissues and may have short and long-term sight-threatening consequences. Among them, ocular infections caused by herpesviruses are the most frequent. HSV-1 keratitis and kerato-uveitis affect approximately are the leading cause of infectious blindness in the Western world, mainly because of corneal opacification caused by recurrences. For this reason, they may warrant long-term antiviral prophylaxis. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus, accounts for 10 to 20% of all shingles locations and can be associated with severe ocular involvement (keratitis, kerato-uveitis) of which a quarter becomes chronic/recurrent. Post herpetic neuralgias in the trigeminal territory can be particularly debilitating. Necrotizing retinitis caused by herpesviruses (HSV, VZV, CMV) are seldom, but must be considered as absolute visual emergencies, requiring urgent intravenous and intravitreal antiviral treatment. Clinical pictures depend on the immune status of the host. Adenovirus are the most frequent cause of infectious conjunctivitis. These most often benign infections are highly contagious and may be complicated by visually disabling corneal lesions that may last over months or years. Some arboviruses may be associated with inflammatory ocular manifestations. Among them, congenital Zika infections may cause macular or optic atrophy. Conjunctivitis is frequent during the acute phase of Ebola virus disease. Up to 15% of survivors present with severe chronic inflammatory ocular conditions caused by viral persistence in uveal tissues. Finally, COVID-19-associated conjunctivitis can precede systemic disease, or even be the unique manifestation of the disease. Utmost caution must be taken because of viral shedding in tears.

Vaccine-Strain Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in a 14-month-old Boy Prompting an Immunodeficiency Workup: Case Report and Review of Vaccine-strain Herpes Zoster.

We present a case of herpes zoster ophthalmicus in an otherwise healthy 14-month-old male associated with vaccine-strain varicella-zoster virus 11 weeks after monovalent varicella vaccine administration. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus, especially in the setting of familial immunoglobulin A deficiency, prompted further immunologic workup. A high index of suspicion is necessary for timely diagnosis and treatment of vaccine-strain herpes zoster.

Aggregate health and economic burden of herpes zoster in the United States: illustrative example of a pain condition.

Our objective was to develop comprehensive national estimates of the total burden of herpes zoster (HZ) among U.S. adults, including direct (ie, medical costs) and indirect (ie, productivity losses) costs, as well as its psychosocial impact (ie, quality of life losses). Using a patient-level microsimulation model, we projected health and economic outcomes among U.S. adults aged 18 years and older using a 10-year time horizon. We conducted a comprehensive systematic literature review to generate parameter values and conducted simulation modeling to generate our outcomes, including numbers of cases of uncomplicated HZ, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and ocular complications, productivity losses, and losses in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). We used a societal perspective for outcomes; the costing year was 2015. Projected outcomes for an unvaccinated population included 1.1 million HZ cases, 114,000 PHN cases, and 43,000 ocular complications annually, resulting in approximately 67,000 QALYs lost. HZ and its complications would incur costs of $2.4 billion in direct medical costs and productivity losses annually. Projected QALY losses were most sensitive to HZ and PHN health utility values in the model. Cost estimates were most sensitive to the probability of HZ and to the costs per episode of PHN. The national burden of direct, indirect, and psychosocial HZ costs is substantial. Our results can inform economic analyses for HZ vaccines. Comprehensive, national assessments of the total burden of other painful conditions would be very informative.

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Review and Prevention.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is the etiologic agent of both chickenpox and Herpes zoster (HZ). In the United States, there are around one million cases of HZ per year. Ten percent of HZ cases are subtyped as herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) specifically and involve the V1 distribution. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is a significant cause of blindness in the United States. This article will provide a basic overview of VZV, HZ, and HZO with a focus on preventative measures in an effort to prevent blindness through improving clinician awareness and education. The differences in clinical effectiveness and duration of effectiveness of the live (Zostavax) and recombinant vaccines (Shingrix) are illustrated. There is now a trend toward using the recombinant vaccine as recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) for healthy adults 50 or older.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus: acute keratitis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Herpes zoster is a common condition, and involvement of the trigeminal nerve results in herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). Acute keratitis is one of the most common of these ocular complications associated with HZO. The findings associated with and the management of acute zoster keratitis will be reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS: The incidence rate of herpes zoster has been on the rise over the past several decades. At the same time, the average patient age at presentation is declining with similar trends also seen in HZO. The cause of these changes has yet to be determined. Our understanding of corneal involvement in HZO continues to evolve with new imaging demonstrating viral particles within keratocytes in a case of zoster stromal keratitis. New medications such as topical ganciclovir are also helping to better manage acute zoster keratitis that is unresponsive to oral antiviral therapy. SUMMARY: Acute zoster keratitis can lead to permanent vision loss. Early diagnosis and management may help reduce these potentially devastating complications. Oral and topical antiviral medications can play a role in managing the acute disease, and herpes zoster vaccinations are important for prevention of disease. Further research must be done to establish standards for treatment of anterior segment complications from herpes zoster.

Current vaccines for the prevention of herpes zoster.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the recent advances in the prevention of herpes zoster. The recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of an adjuvanted subunit vaccine may have a significant impact on the prevention of herpes zoster ophthalmicus. RECENT FINDINGS: There are currently two commercially available vaccines for the prevention of herpes zoster: a live-attenuated vaccine and a new recombinant subunit vaccine. The latter has been shown to be more effective, have fewer contraindications, but requires two separate inoculations, has higher reactogenicity, and has only short-term postmarketing surveillance. SUMMARY: The adjuvanted zoster subunit vaccine offers several advantages over the previously available vaccine. Following the current treatment recommendations, physicians should recommend vaccination to all patients older than 50 years of age with no contraindications, this should also prevent ophthalmic complications of the disease.

Risk of Anterior Segment Complications Associated With the Live Herpes Zoster Vaccine: Evidence From a Health-Claim Database.

PURPOSE: To determine the risk of developing anterior segment complications after receiving the live herpes zoster virus vaccine. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included a random sample of 9 million patients registered in a health-claim database in the United States between 2006 and 2016. Herpes zoster-related anterior segment diseases were identified by International Classification of Diseases ninth or tenth edition codes (an event). Patients without any event before index dates were separated into cohorts 1 and 2. Cohort 1 received the live virus vaccine on the index date. Cohort 2 was diagnosed with nonophthalmic zoster on the index date. The recurrent cohorts consisted of those who had an event 6 months or more before the index dates and were separated into cohort 3 and cohort 4 based on the same criteria as cohort 1 and 2, respectively. All cohorts were followed to the first event. Hazard ratios (HRs) of anterior segment complications after vaccine administration were determined. RESULTS: There were 72,141 vaccine users and 133,604 nonusers. There were 379 events and 1032 events in cohort 1 and cohort 2, respectively. The adjusted HR was 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.77-1.02). Among those with recurrent disease, there were 2679 vaccine users and 9421 nonusers. There were 16 events in cohort 3, compared with 86 events in cohort 4. The adjusted HR was 0.70 (95% confidence interval: 0.40-1.23). CONCLUSIONS: Data from a large health-claim database suggest that the live zoster virus vaccine is not associated with a higher risk of anterior segment complications.

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: A Review for the Internist.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus occurs due to reactivation of the varicella zoster virus in the ophthalmic branch of the fifth cranial nerve. This disease primarily affects the elderly as well as the immunocompromised and can result in a wide range of ophthalmic morbidity. Systemic antiviral therapy is the mainstay of treatment; however, consultation with an ophthalmologist is typically indicated. Herein we present a review of this common entity including epidemiology, pathophysiology, evaluation, treatment, follow-up, and an update on the current body of literature.

Persistent dilemmas in zoster eye disease.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) is a common, vision and potentially life-threatening disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in the distribution of the first division of cranial nerve V. Although the rate of herpes zoster increases with age, over half of the people with zoster in general, including HZO, are under age 60. In addition, over 90% of people with zoster are immunocompetent, even though the disease is more common and severe in immunocompromised patients. The incidence of zoster is increasing worldwide for unknown reasons. The epidemiology has not yet been impacted by the zoster vaccine (ZV). The lack of a strong recommendation by physicians for this vaccine is a major barrier to its use. An unresolved dilemma regards the optimum timing for this vaccine. In the USA, the current recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is for eligible people age 60 and older, despite its greater efficacy in reducing the incidence of disease and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for age 50-59. Although there is a consensus regarding use of acute high-dose oral antiviral treatment to reduce ocular complications, there is limited evidence for prolonged treatment. The rationale for a proposed randomised controlled trial (RCT) of suppressive antiviral treatment to reduce chronic eye disease and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) includes evidence that zoster is followed by chronic active VZV infection and similarities between HZO and herpes simplex virus (HSV) eye infection, where this treatment is effective and is the standard of care.

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus.

Herpes zoster is a commonly encountered disorder. It is estimated that there are approximately 1 million new cases of herpes zoster in the United States annually, with an incidence of 3.2 per 1000 person-years. Patients with HIV have the greatest risk of developing herpes zoster ophthalmicus compared with the general population. Other risk factors include advancing age, use of immunosuppressive medications, and primary infection in infancy or in utero. Vaccination against the virus is a primary prevention modality. Primary treatments include antivirals, analgesics, and anticonvulsants. Management may require surgical intervention and comanagement with pain specialists, psychiatrists, and infectious disease specialists.

Management and Prevention of Herpes Zoster Ocular Disease.

Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) in people who have had chicken pox, usually resulting in a painful, unilateral, dermatomal, vesicular rash. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus occurs when the first division of cranial nerve V is involved. HZ is common, with approximately 1 million new cases per year in the United States, and occurs in 1 in 3 persons. Although the rate of HZ increases with age, over half of all cases occur under the age of 60 years. Complications of herpes zoster ophthalmicus include eye disease, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and strokes. VZV has also been found in temporal arteritis biopsies. There is growing evidence that HZ is followed by chronic active VZV infection contributing to these complications. In view of this, and the efficacy of suppressive antiviral treatment in reducing recurrent herpes simplex keratitis, a randomized controlled trial of suppressive valacyclovir to reduce new or worsening anterior segment disease and/or PHN is needed. The zoster vaccine (ZV) is safe and effective in reducing the burden of illness, severity of PHN, and incidence of HZ. It is Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended for persons aged 60 years and above without impaired cellular immunity, and Food and Drug Administration approved for those aged 50 and older. It is most effective in preventing HZ in recipients in their 50s. Because of underusage of the ZV, it has not impacted the epidemiology of the disease. Barriers to its use include cost, variable reimbursement, frozen storage, and lack of a strong recommendation by doctors.