General Characteristics of Herpesviruses


 

Family: Herpesviridae
Subfamilies: Alpha, Beta, Gamma
Size: ~200 nm
Genome: linear ds-DNA, 120-230 kb
Envelop: enveloped
Capsid: Icosahedral
General features: Ubiquitous, causes latent and recurrent infections

   
Designation
Common Name
Subfamily
Genome Size (kb)
Associated Diseases
HHV-1
Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1)
alfa
~150
oral cavity infections; cold sore;
HHV-2
Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2)
alfa
~150
infections of genital area;
HHV-3
Varicella Zoster virus (VZV)
alfa
~130
Chickenpox; Shingles;
HHV-4
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
gamma
~170
 Infectious Mononucleosis (IM); Burkitt's lymphoma; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; Lymphoproliferative diseases; XLP; T-cell lymphomas; Hodgkin's lymphoma?; ?various carcinomas (breast, gastric, lung...) ??
HHV-5

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
beta
~230
 Infectious Mononucleosis (IM); Retinitis; Transplant rejection; congenital infections;
HHV-6
Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6)
beta
150-170
Mononucleosis; Roseola infantum (exanthem subitum);
HHV-7
Human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7)
beta
~150
Mononucleosis?; Roseola infantum (exanthem subitum); Pityriasis rosea ?
HHV-8
Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)
gamma
~140
Kaposi's sarcoma; Body cavity lymphoma?