Interferon in treatment of dendritic keratitis in humans: a preliminary report.

Seventy-three patients with herpetic epithelial keratitis were randomly divided into three groups and were treated by local applications of human leukocyte interferon, thermocautery plus human leukocyte interferon, or thermocautery plus mock human leukocyte interferon to obtain information on whether therapy with human leukocyte interferon can serve as a substitute for mechanical debridement of the involved epithelium or can improve the results when given as additional therapy. Fifty-five patients (75%) yielded herpes simplex virus before treatment, and only the results in these patients with keratitis of proved viral etiology were included in the analysis. These results indicated that mechanical debridement cannot be replaced with local application of human leukocyte interferon (3-4 X 10(4) units per day). When given in addition to thermocautery, human leukocyte interferon may have been of some value in a number of patients. However, the results were not statistically significant. A more potent dosage of human leukocyte interferon might provide better results.