IDU and Hydrocortisone in Experimental Herpes Simplex Keratitis

The indiscriminate clinical use of corticosteroids "when the eye is red" has contributed greatly to the severity and variety of herpes simplex keratitis.1,2Similarly, the deleterious effects of corticosteroids on experimental herpes simplex keratitis have been well documented.3,4Since, when used indiscriminately, corticosteroids are dangerous, and since the antiviral agents described to date are not effective in treating iritis or disease accompanied by folds in Descemet's membrane,5it would be desirable if topical corticosteroids could be used with safety. The preparation, 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IDU), is a specific antiviral agent that stops viral replication.6,7The experiments described below document the effects of the combination of IDU with corticosteroids. Methods and Materials Albino rabbits were infected with strains of herpes simplex virus as previously described.6Drops of IDU were administered as a 0.1% solution and hydrocortisone as a 0.5% solution. In some experiments, when the two were given