Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
07:55
Ex Vivo Organotypic Corneal Model of Acute Epithelial Herpes Simplex Virus Type I Infection
Published on: November 3, 2012
Herpes simplex virus epidemiology and ocular importance
1Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA. tliesegang@mayo.edu
Cornea
|February 24, 2001
Summary
Genital herpes simplex infections are rising, with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) increasingly causing infections in adults. This changing epidemiology may impact ocular herpes simplex disease, with potential for more severe presentations in older individuals.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections present a significant global health challenge.
- Ocular herpes simplex disease is a leading cause of corneal blindness and visual impairment worldwide.
- Changing patterns in HSV epidemiology may influence the incidence and presentation of ocular disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolving epidemiology of herpes simplex disease.
- To correlate these changes with the epidemiology of ocular herpes simplex disease.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive review of global literature on herpes simplex epidemiology.
- Specific focus on studies detailing ocular herpes simplex disease.
- Analysis of data from major studies like the Herpetic Eye Disease Study.
Main Results:
- Increasing rates of genital herpes simplex infections in adolescents and adults, with approximately 1 in 6 US adults infected.
- Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly acquired at older ages and is a significant cause of genital herpes.
- Ocular herpes simplex disease shows trends toward older age of onset and potentially more severe presentations.
Conclusions:
- Genital herpes is a growing epidemic, with implications for neonatal herpes and HSV-1 acquisition patterns.
- The shift in HSV epidemiology, particularly HSV-1, necessitates a re-evaluation of diagnostic approaches.
- Future trends in ocular herpes simplex disease are anticipated based on current epidemiological shifts, with potential links to HSV-2 in conditions like acute retinal necrosis syndrome.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
01:22Microbiome of the Eye
The human eye has a specialized microbiota that reflects its unique anatomical and immunological environment. This low-biomass microbial community predominantly colonizes the conjunctiva and eyelid margins, playing a vital role in ocular surface homeostasis and defense. Despite its proximity to the richly colonized facial skin, the ocular surface maintains a distinct microbial profile due to continuous mechanical and biochemical defense mechanisms.The conjunctival surface hosts fewer microbial...
01:28Herpes
Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV‑1) is a widespread pathogen responsible for orolabial lesions. It is an enveloped, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus belonging to the family Herpesviridae. Once the virus infects a host cell, its double‑stranded DNA genome is delivered into the nucleus, where a coordinated cascade of immediate‑early, early, and late gene expression directs viral DNA replication, structural protein synthesis, and virion assembly. After primary infection of epithelial cells, HSV-1...
01:20Chickenpox
Chickenpox is an acute, highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Herpesviridae family. Its transmission occurs primarily through the inhalation of respiratory droplets or direct contact with vesicular fluid from skin lesions. The incubation period typically ranges from 10 to 21 days, during which the virus replicates and disseminates through sequential phases within the host. Although generally self-limiting in children,...
01:27Cytomegalovirus Disease
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
01:23Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection primarily caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), though herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly implicated in genital infections, particularly among younger populations. Transmission occurs mainly through sexual contact, with asymptomatic viral shedding serving as a major route of spread. This characteristic makes HSV-2 difficult to control at a population level, as individuals may unknowingly transmit the virus even in the...