Herpetic eye attacks: variability of circannual rhythms.

Abstract

The issue of seasonal variation of herpetic ocular infections is still controversial. This study was designed to examine whether this variation exists and can be defined as a significant circannual rhythm. The patterns of recurrent attacks were monitored in 541 patients over a period of 15 years. Rhythm parameters were analysed according to age, sex, and clinical signs. The majority of herpetic eye attacks exhibited the highest peak in January (p < 0.04), except in the group of atopic children where the incidence of the disease peaked in September (p < 0.05). Among the various clinical forms, significant circannual periodicities were found only in the occurrence of epithelial herpetic keratitis (p < 0.03). The rhythms were detected among males (p < 0.03) but not among females. No direct correlation was demonstrated between the presence of the rhythms and the triggering effect of upper respiratory tract infections. Chronoepidemiological evaluation of individual reactivation patterns may be beneficial to certain patients and contribute to the optimisation of the treatment when prophylaxis is considered.