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Background: This study aimed to measure the effects of persistent corneal subepithelial infiltrates associated with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis on corneal densitometry and total corneal higher order aberrations (HOAs), and to compare these measurements with the data obtained from their fellow unaffected healthy eyes., Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included those who had persistent subepithelial infiltrates in only the affected eyes for at least three months and clinically normal fellow unaffected eyes. Corneal densitometry was measured with the densitometry software of the Pentacam HR-Scheimpflug corneal topographer over a 12 mm diameter of cornea. Further, total corneal HOAs including coma (Z[1,3], Z[3,-1]), trefoil (Z[3], Z[3,-3]), spherical aberration, higher order root mean square (HO-RMS), and total RMS in the Zernike analysis were analysed by the same Pentacam HR device., Results: Forty-six eyes of 23 participants were analysed in this study. The mean corneal densitometry values were statistically significantly higher in all annular concentric areas (0-2, 2-6, 6-10, and 10-12 mm) of the anterior and central corneal layers in the eyes with subepithelial infiltrates when compared to normal fellow eyes (p < 0.05, for each one). Additionally, there were statistically significant differences between the eyes with subepithelial infiltrates and normal fellow eyes with regard to coma, trefoil, HO-RMS, and total RMS in the Zernike analysis (p < 0.05, for each one)., Conclusion: This study quantitatively demonstrated that persistent corneal subepithelial infiltrates associated with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis decrease corneal transparency and corneal optical quality in affected eyes., (© 2018 Optometry Australia.)

It is proved that chronic ocular surface inflammatory disease (including allergic blepharitis, recurrent chalyazia, punctuate keratitis, recurrent herpetic corneal erosions, late stages of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, etc.) takes part in the development of secondary dry eye syndrome (DES). However, therapies for inflammation-induced impairment of tear production do not provide long-term control of inflammatory process. Cyclosporine 0.05% eye drops are an option. Their effect is well-studied in foreign practice. Local application experience of cyclosporine 0.05% eye drops was summarized at a meeting of the Russian expert group on DES and conclusions were made on their effectiveness in treatment of dry eye syndrome associated with certain ocular surface inflammatory disorders, such as allergic blepharoconjunctivitis, late stages of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, and others.

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is a common ocular disease in cattle, associated with a 6.8 to 13.6 kg decrease in weaning weight. Antibiotic therapy is available but it is unclear if pain mitigation as an adjunct therapy would reduce the weight loss associated with IBK. Before assessing the impact of pain mitigation therapies, it is first necessary to validate approaches to qualifying ocular pain. The objective of this study was to evaluate approaches to qualifying ocular pain in bovine calves (Bos taurus) with IBK. Our a priori assumption was that scarification or corneal ulcerations consistent with IBK are painful compared to normal eyes. To quantify this difference in pain, we assessed 4 tools: pressure algometry-mechanical nociceptive threshold (PA-MNT), corneal touch thresholds (CTT) obtained with the use of a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer, and assessment for the presence of blepharospasm and photophobia as metrics for pain. Using a 1-eye randomized controlled challenge trial, 31 calves with healthy eyes were randomly allocated to treatment groups, and then a left or right eye was randomly assigned for corneal scarification and inoculation with Moraxella bovoculi or Moraxella bovis. A repeated measures analysis of variance was used for PA-MNT, with significance set at P < 0.05. A log (base 10) transformation was used to stabilize the variance, and Tukey's t tests were used to test differences between assessment days for each landmark. Calves had statistically significantly lower PA-MNT scores (which indicates more pain) the day after scarification relative to baseline measurements (4 d before scarification). For example, at 1 landmark the median PA-MNT (kg/force) prescarification was 4.82 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.92-5.93) and 3.43 (95% CI: 2.79-4.22) postscarification. These data suggest PA-MNT may be a tool for quantifying ocular pain in calves. No differences (P < 0.1) in PA-MNT scores between scarified and not-scarified eyes were detected for any landmark on any day. This result suggests that the pain response occurs over the entire face, not just the affected eye. Corneal ulcerations consistent with IBK were not associated with statistically significant differences in PA-MNT or CTT at eye or calf levels. Not surprisingly, scarified eyes were more likely to exhibit blepharospasm and photophobia compared to healthy eyes. Due to blepharospasm, the use of the Cochet-Bonnet to evaluate corneal sensitivity by CTT was of limited value.

Purpose of Review: The purpose of the present review is to provide an overview on the clinical features and long-term complications of severe ocular allergies, with a special focus on the corneal involvement observed in these diseases, which may impair vision permanently. Furthermore, different treatment options are discussed based on the sight-threatening effects of corticosteroid use., Recent Findings: Recent data on the demographics, clinical and immunologic features of vernal and atopic keratoconjunctivitis are presented and discussed, and the evidence of a lack of literature addressing the issue of visual outcome in allergic diseases is underlined. The efficacy and possible long-term complications of their treatments are described, including visual impairment., Summary: Diagnosis and treatment of patients with severe ocular allergy is a challenge for ophthalmologists due to the long-term corneal complications and the potential side-effects of topical corticosteroids that may induce cataract formation and glaucoma, and impair vision permanently. The review describes old and new concepts of management and possible complications such as severe, vision-threatening forms of allergic ocular disease. An update on their management and long-term complications may help clinicians to establish a common agreement on treatment options and researchers to design future studies based on similar outcomes, including visual acuity.

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is an acute disease caused by Moraxella bovis (Mb). Several factors may predispose animals to an IBK outbreak; one commonly observed is infection with bovine herpes virus type 1 (BHV-1). The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamics of BHV-1 virus infection and its relation with clinical cases of IBK in weaned calves from a beef herd with a high prevalence of lesions caused by Mb. Sampling was carried out in six stages and included conjunctival swabs for isolating Mb as well as blood samples for identifying antibodies specific for BHV-1. A score for IBK lesions after observing each eye was determined. The findings of this study showed a high prevalence of BHV-1 virus infection (100% of animals were infected at the end of the trial); 67% of animals were culture-positive for Mb, but low rates of clinical IBK (19% of calves affected) were detected at the end of the trial. These results suggest that infection with BHV-1 did not predispose these animals to IBK, and that Mb infection produced clinical and subclinical disease in the absence of BHV-1 co-infection.

Background: Epidemic viral conjunctivitis is a highly contagious eye disease that occurs worldwide and is caused mainly by adenoviruses and enteroviruses. An 18-year analysis of the changes of pathogens and clinical signs in a subtropical and densely populated island presents certain special features., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical information and laboratory records of the conjunctivitis patients with positive conjunctival swabs from 1980 to 1997., Results: The positive rate of laboratory diagnosis of epidemic conjunctivitis was 50.0% (1,233/2,467). From 1980 to 1994, the predominant causative agent of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis was adenovirus type 8 (Ad8), with six genotypes being evolved. Three of the new Ad8 genotypes each caused a new epidemic. After 1995 the predominant adenoviral pathogens shifted to Ad37 and Ad19, and no more Ad8 was isolated. Enterovirus type 70 (EV70) was isolated from four outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) from 1980 to 1984, but rarely in later years. Coxsackievirus A type 24 variant (CA24v), which first appeared in 1985, appeared later as the causes of four major epidemics of AHC from 1985 to 1994. The overall clinical symptoms of viral conjunctivitis were more severe in the 1990s than in the 1980s., Conclusion: In southern Taiwan, outbreaks of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis caused by new genomic variants could be associated with the long-term endemic co-circulation of Ad8, Ad19, and Ad37, while epidemics of CA24v AHC were caused mainly by introduction of new viral strains from neighboring countries. The aggravation of host symptoms in the 1990s needs further investigation and close follow-up.

Calves were vaccinated with cloned Moraxella bovis pili of serogroup C (experiment 1) or B (experiment 2) either as a monovalent formulation or as part of a multivalent preparation with pili of six other serogroups. Within 4 weeks of the second vaccine dose vaccinated calves and non-vaccinated controls were challenged via the ocular route with either virulent M. bovis strain Dal2d (serogroup C) or M. bovis strain 3WO7 (serogroup B) in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Calves vaccinated with multivalent vaccines had significantly lower antibody titres than those vaccinated with monovalent preparations. Nevertheless, the levels of protection against infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) achieved with multivalent vaccines were 72% and 83% for the groups challenged with M. bovis strains of serogroups B and C, respectively. The serogroup C monovalent vaccine gave 100% protection against experimentally induced IBK and M. bovis isolates cultured from the eyes 6 days post-challenge were identified as belonging solely to serogroup C. Unexpectedly, only 25% protection was achieved against homologous strain challenge of calves that received the monovalent serogroup B vaccine. Furthermore, the majority of M. bovis isolates recovered from calves in this group belonged to serogroup C, as did half of those isolates cultured from the multivalent vaccinates. The remaining bacterial isolates from the latter group, together with all isolates from the non-vaccinated controls, belonged to serogroup B. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that derivatives of the serogroup B challenge inoculum had expressed serogroup C pilus antigen within 6 days of the challenge, possibly as a result of pilus gene inversion occurring in response to the presence of specific antibody in eye tissues and tears.

We describe three patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who presented with a bilateral coarse superficial epithelial keratitis due to infection with the protozoal parasite Microspora, Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Despite the extent of the corneal surface disease, conjunctival inflammation was minimal. Visual acuity ranged from 20/20 to 20/200. In one patient, the keratitis was complicated by the development of a surface defect with secondary Pseudomonas species infection. All patients had a history of exposure to household pets. Standard cultures were negative. Diagnosis was established in two of the three cases based on characteristic appearance of the protozoan in conjunctival scrapings. Electron microscopy of a conjunctival biopsy specimen in one patient confirmed the species. No recognized effective treatment is available for this infection.