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Introduction to Herpesviridae
The family Herpesviridae contains three subfamilies: Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae, and Gammaherpesvirinae. , The eight known human herpesviruses are represented in six genera, which are shown with the typical characteristics of the subfamilies in Table 203.1 .
TABLE 203.1
Members of Herpesviridae Family
| Subfamily | Characteristics | Genus | Member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphaherpesvirinae | Short reproductive cycle Efficient destruction of infected cells with release of viral progeny Rapid spread in culture Latency in sensory ganglia |
Simplexvirus Varicellovirus | Herpes simplex virus type 1 (human herpesvirus 1) Herpes simplex virus type 2 (human herpesvirus 2) |
| Varicella-zoster virus (human herpesvirus 3) | |||
| Betaherpesvirinae | Long reproductive cycle Slow cell-to-cell spread in culture Enlargement of infected cells Multiple nonganglionic sites of latency |
Cytomegalovirus | Cytomegalovirus (human herpesvirus 5) |
| Roseolovirus | Human herpesvirus 6A Human herpesvirus 6B Human herpesvirus 7 |
||
| Gammaherpesvirinae | Replication in lymphoblastoid cells Latency in lymphoid tissue Monocytes and B lymphocytes |
Lymphocryptovirus | Epstein-Barr virus (human herpesvirus 4) |
| Rhadinovirus | Human herpesvirus 8 |
All members of the Herpesviridae family share several features ( Box 203.1 ), but the architecture of the virion best defines family membership. The typical herpes virion is roughly spherical and 150–200 nm in diameter. The virion consists of a core of linear, double-stranded DNA wrapped around a fibrillar core spool; an icosahedral capsid containing 162 capsomeres; a tegument layer of amorphous, asymmetrically distributed material surrounding the capsid; and a lipid-containing outer envelope containing multiple embedded glycoprotein protrusions.
BOX 203.1
Common Features of Members of Herpesviridae Family
General Features
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Viral particle size: 150–200 nm.
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More than 30 structural proteins.
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Icosahedral nucleocapsid with 162 capsomers, 100 nm in diameter.
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Surrounded by an envelope, acquired by budding through the inner lamella of the nuclear envelope.
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Multiple surface projections are embedded in the envelope.
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