The survival of herpes simplex virus in multidose office ophthalmic solutions.

Abstract

To determine the survival of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in several multidose ophthalmic solutions. In three separate trials, 10 aliquots of 5 ml each of three common multidose topical ophthalmic solutions, sodium fluorescein, proparacaine, and nonpreserved artificial tears, were inoculated with 10(5), 10(4), and 10(3) pfu per ml of HSV-1. All samples were titered on A549 cells at various time points for surviving HSV-1. Herpes simplex virus type 1 was not recovered from the fluorescein and proparacaine solutions at 1 hour or any time thereafter, regardless of inoculation titer. Herpes simplex virus type 1 was recovered from the artificial tears up to 7 days. Unlike adenovirus, HSV-1 does not survive in preserved fluorescein and proparacaine multidose solutions; therefore, office transmission is highly unlikely.