Associated respiratory and herpes virus infections in patients with acute keratitis.

Viral antigens were detected by immunofluorescence in exfoliated conjunctival cells from 100 out of 110 keratitis patients investigated. The overall prevalence of respiratory virus antigens (parainfluenza, influenza, adenovirus) was twice as high as that of herpes antigens. The ratio between respiratory and herpes virus antigens was of 4:1 in the patients with acute respiratory syndromes in the past history, as against 2:1 in those who had had no respiratory illness.