Disciform keratitis: a case of herpes zoster sine herpete.

Abstract

To describe a case of disciform keratitis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in which varicella-zoster virus was the causative agent. Case report, Polymerase chain reaction-based assays for varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus were used to analyze an aqueous aspirate. We examined a 41-year-old man with AIDS but without a history of varicella-zoster virus dermatitis who had disciform corneal edema in his left eye. Varicella-zoster virus was detected by a polymerase chain reaction-based assay in the aqueous of the left eye; however, neither cytomegalovirus nor herpes simplex virus DNA were detected by polymerase chain reaction-based assays. The corneal edema slowly resolved while the patient was treated with famciclovir. Varicella-zoster virus may cause disciform keratitis without a preceding skin eruption.