Varicella dendritic keratitis.

Atypical dendritic keratitis has been described following herpes zoster infection. This is the first reported case of atypical dendritic keratitis following classical varicella infection It also provides the first light and electron microscopic description of the varicella-zoster dendritic corneal lesion. The diagnosis is substantiated by the clinical appearance of the lesion and by the presence of serum antibody titers against varicella-zoster but not against herpes simplex. Cultures were negative for both viruses. The grayish intra-epithelial plaque-like appearance of the varicella-zoster dendritic lesion consists of unhealthy and dying cells in the middle layers of the corneal epithelium. These cells show a relatively sparse population of herpes-type virus particles.