Therapy of experimental herpetic keratitis with IDU and fluorescent light: A negative study.

In vitro studies by workers in basic fields of biology have shown that halogenated DNA-base analogs are capable of sensitizing the DNA of various infectious agents in such a way that exposure to fluorescent light results in lethal damage to the DNA. In the present studies we treated experimental herpetic keratitis in rabbits with fluorescent light after using topical iododeoxyuridine (IDU) as a photosensitizing agent. So far as it clinical course was concerned, there was no significant difference between the disease treated with both IDU and light, and the disease treated with IDU alone. This was true in both the standard experimental disease and in the disease made more severe by prelimiary subconjunctival injection of corticosteroid.