Acute ocular infection by type 2 herpes simplex virus in adults

Acute ocular infections in two adults were caused by type 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV) ("genital herpesvirus"). One patient had an acute blepharoconjunctivitis, the other an acute keratoconjunctivitis. Genital infections had preceded the eye infections, and type 2 HSV was isolated from the eyes of both patients and from the genital lesions of one patient. This strongly suggests transmission of type 2 HSV from the genital site to the eye.