Delayed skin reactivity of patients with herpetic stromal keratitis

Twenty-seven patients with chronic stromal keratitis due to herpes simplex virus were tested for delayed skin reactions, to investigate the non-specific immune reactivity in vivo. Skin tests were performed with five ordinary antigens-Candida, mumps, phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P), purified protein derivative of tubercle bacillus (PPD), and streptokinase-streptodornase (SK-SD). The reactivity of the patients was generally decreased, as compared to the age-matched 40 healthy controls. Especially, the reactivity of the patients to PHA-P was significantly decreased (p less than 0.007). The largest mean diameters of erythema at 24 or 48 hours in Candida and PHA-P were also significantly less in the patients than in the controls (Candida, p less than 0.02; PHA-P, p less than 0.05).