Herpesviridae
A large family of DNA viruses causing latent and lytic infections.
Orthoherpesviridae, still commonly called Herpesviridae, is a large family of DNA viruses that infect animals, including humans, and cause a range of diseases. These viruses are known as herpesviruses. The family name comes from the Greek word *herpein*, meaning "to creep," which describes the spreading skin lesions—often blisters—seen during outbreaks of herpes simplex 1, herpes simplex 2, and herpes zoster (shingles). In 1971, the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) first recognized the family Herpesviridae. Since then, over 100 herpesviruses have been identified. These viruses can establish both latent and lytic infections.
- Type
- Virus family
- Known for
- Causing latent and lytic infections in animals and humans, including herpes simplex, chickenpox, shingles, and Kaposi's sarcoma
- Subfamilies
- Three (Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma-herpesviridae)
- Genera
- Seventeen
- Known species
- More than 130
- Human infecting types
- Nine, with at least five widespread
Lore & Background
All members of the Herpesviridae share a common structure: a relatively large, monopartite, double-stranded, linear DNA genome encoding 100–200 genes encased within an icosahedral protein cage called the capsid, which is wrapped in a protein layer called the tegument and a lipid bilayer envelope. The virion diameter with spikes can reach 225 nm. The icosahedral nucleocapsid has 162 capsomers consisting of 150 hexons and 12 pentons, and a portal complex for DNA entry and exit. Herpesviruses are nuclear-replicating; viral DNA is transcribed to mRNA within the infected cell's nucleus. Infection begins when viral envelope glycoproteins bind to cell membrane receptors, leading to internalization and viral DNA migration to the nucleus. During symptomatic infection, lytic viral genes are transcribed; in some host cells, latency-associated transcripts (LAT) accumulate instead, allowing indefinite persistence. Reactivation can be induced by local trauma, system stress, or cellular stressors like hypoxia.
Reader's Guide
Herpesviridae are significant because they establish lifelong infections in most human populations, with over 90% of adults infected with at least one of the five widespread types. Their ability to switch between latent and lytic cycles underlies diseases such as shingles and pityriasis rosea. The family's evolutionary history, with subfamilies arising approximately 180 to 220 million years ago, shows co-speciation with host lineages. Immune evasion strategies, such as encoding a protein mimicking human interleukin 10 and downregulating MHC II, enable persistent infection. The family includes viruses infecting mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and molluscs, with more than 130 known species. Understanding herpesvirus biology is crucial for managing diseases like genital herpes, chickenpox, and Kaposi's sarcoma, and for developing antiviral therapies and vaccines.
Did You Know?
- The family name derives from the Greek word 'herpein' meaning 'to creep', referring to spreading cutaneous lesions.
- Nine herpesvirus types are known to primarily infect humans, at least five of which are extremely widespread.
- Herpesviruses can encode a protein mimicking human interleukin 10 to evade the immune system.
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