[Clinical significance of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets to herpes simplex keratitis]

The peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets in 52 patients with herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) were assessed with monoclonal antibodies. There was marked decrease in WuT3+ and WuT4+, and increase in WuT8+ with consequent diminution of WuT4+/WuT8+ ratio in stromal HSK, while in superficial HSK the above cell counts differed insignificantly from those of the normal controls. These findings suggested that there was immunoregulatory aberration in cases of stromal HSK. After clinical cure by antiviral agents and herpes simplex vaccine or interferon, these immunologic indexes showed no corresponding amelioration, indicating that the recurrence of HSK was probably related to the immunofunction of the host.