Ocular infection with orf virus

Orf virus infection of the pericanthal eyelid skin and conjunctiva was diagnosed by electron microscopy. Orf is a paravaccinia virus responsible for contagious pustular dermatitis in sheep and goats. It occasionally affects humans. The patient was a farmwife who had recently handled lambs. She had a raised ulcerating lesion at the inner canthus, follicular conjunctivitis, and lymphadenopathy. Treatment with 35% idoxuridine in dimethylsulfoxide on the skin and 0.5% idoxuridine ointment on the conjunctiva led to resolution after three weeks.