Endogenous dissemination of genital Herpesvirus hominis type 2 to the eye

A 33-year-old man developed Herpesvirus hominis type 2 (HVH-2) eye disease following a herpetic lesion of the penis. The sequence of ocular involvement suggested that the virus had been transmitted endogenously from the genital lesion: granulomatous iritis was followed by interstitial keratitis and then by dendritic keratitis. Recurrent bacterial ulcers ultimately required a conjunctival flap. The course of this man's ocular disease as well as those of other reported cases of HVH-2 adult eye infections appeared to be more severe and prolonged than that of the average patient with ocular herpes type 1 infection.