Alport Syndrome With Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus Keratitis

• Published in: Cornea Vol. 26; no. 10; pp. 1279 - 1281
• Main Authors: Chung, Pei-Chen, Lin, Ken-Kuo, Song, Hu-Shien, Ku, Wan-Chen, Huang, Samuel C M, Sun, Chi-Chin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-12-2007
• Subjects: Acyclovir - therapeutic use; Adult; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Humans; Keratitis, Herpetic - complications; Keratitis, Herpetic - drug therapy; Lens Implantation, Intraocular; Male; Nephritis, Hereditary - complications; Phacoemulsification; Recurrence
• ISSN: 0277-3740; 1536-4798
• DOI: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e31814da529

PURPOSE:To report a case of Alport syndrome with recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis.
METHODS:Case report and review of the literature.
RESULTS:A 29-year-old man with Alport syndrome suffered from 4 consecutive episodes of HSV keratitis within 2 years. A type IV collagen defect in basement membranes plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alport syndrome. The relationship between HSV keratitis and Alport syndrome is discussed. After remission from HSV keratitis, the patient underwent bilateral phacoemulsification and posterior-chamber intraocular lens implantation for anterior lenticonus and an anterior polar cataract. After surgery, the uncorrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes.
CONCLUSIONS:We assume that the underlying basement membrane defects in Alport syndrome may account for the recurrent episodes of HSV keratitis in this patient. In addition, phacoemulsification and posterior-chamber intraocular lens implantation, rather than correction of refractive errors, provide a safe and efficient therapeutic choice for the management of anterior lenticonus, with or without associated cataract in patients with Alport syndrome.