HERPESVIRIDAE

Herpesviridae came from the Greek word ‘herpein’ which means creep, referring to the
spreading of the lesions. Herpesviruses have been found in mollusks, fish, reptiles, amphibians,
and in every species of bird and mammal that has been investigated. Herpesviruses are
adapted to their individual hosts as a consequence of prolonged coevolution.

Replication occurs in the nucleus, with sequential transcription and translation of immediate
early (α), early (β), and late (γ) genes producing α, β, and γ proteins, respectively; the α
proteins are mainly transcription factors regulating expression of β proteins involved in DNA
replication and transcription and the structural γ proteins.

DNA replication and encapsidation occur in the nucleus; there are two envelopments. The
primary enveloped is acquired by budding through the inner layer of the nuclear envelope,
which is lost by fusion with the outer nuclear membrane. Final envelopment occurs at Golgi or
endosomal vesicles.

VIRION
Enveloped icosahedral capsid (T =16).
Diameter 125 nm.
Diameter of enveloped virion 200 nm.
Capsid contains six proteins; envelope contains at least ten glycoproteins.
Material between capsid and envelope, called the “tegument”, contains at least 14 viral
proteins.

GENOME
Linear, double-stranded DNA, 125–250 kb.
Contains unique regions, inverted repeat elements, and terminal direct repeat sequences

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
● Tegument proteins function in early steps of virus replication: activation of transcription
and host shutoff.
● Virion formation begins by budding of nucleocapsids through the inner nuclear
membrane.
● Many viral genes counter host defenses against virus infection.
● Most herpesviruses become latent in the body and can be reactivated months or years
after primary infection.
● Infection results in characteristic eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies
The family Herpesviridae belongs to the order Herpesvirales and is further subdivided into three
subfamilies: Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae, and Gammaherpesvirinae, reflecting their
common genetic and biological properties.

A. Subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae
Replicate and spread rapidly, destroying host cells and often establishing latent
infections in neurons located in sensory ganglia.
Some alphaherpesviruses such as pseudorabies virus (suid herpesvirus 1) have a broad
host range, whereas most are highly restricted in their natural host range, suggesting
that individual alphaherpesviruses have evolved in close association with a single host

Genera:
1. genus Simplexvirus - human herpesvirus 1 (herpes simplex virus 1)
2. genus Varicellovirus - human herpesvirus 3 (varicella-zoster virus)
3. genus Mardivirus - gallid herpesvirus 2 (Marek’s disease virus)
4. genus Iltovirus - gallid herpesvirus 1 (infectious laryngotracheitis virus)
5. genus Scutavirus - chelonid herpesvirus 5

B. Subfamily Betaherpesvirinae
have a highly restricted host range
replicate and spread slowly, cause infected cells to enlarge, hence their common name
cytomegaloviruses.
The viruses may remain latent in secretory glands, the kidneys, and lymphoreticular (eg,
lymph nodes and spleen) and certain other tissues.
It has been proposed, but not yet adopted, that, because of their unique genetic
repertoire, viruses within the genus Proboscivirus genus be removed from the
Betaherpesvirinae to form a new subfamily, the Deltaherpesvirinae, within the family
Herpesviridae.

Genera:
1. Cytomegalovirus - human herpesvirus 5 (cytomegalovirus)
2. Muromegalovirus - murid herpesvirus 1
3. Proboscivirus - elephantid herpesvirus (elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus)
4. Roseolovirus - human herpesvirus 6

C. Subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae
Viruses in this subfamily have a narrow host range
infect lymphocytes and can produce latent infections in these cells. When lymphocytes
become infected, there is minimal expression of viral antigen. A number of
gammaherpesvirus species also replicate in epithelial and fibroblastic cells causing
cytolysis.
Some gammaherpesviruses are implicated in neoplastic transformation of lymphocytes.
some are linked to oncogenic transformation of lymphocytes, notably human herpesvirus
4 (Epstein-Barr virus), which is the cause of Burkitt’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal
carcinoma in humans, and human herpesvirus 8, which is associated with Kaposi
sarcoma and multicentric Castleman’s disease in humans
 Usually, cytolytic infections of the members of the subfamily occur in epithelial cells and
fibroblasts.
Genera:
1. Lymphocryptovirus - human herpesvirus 4
2. Macavirus - alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (malignant catarrhal fever virus)
3. Percavirus - equid herpesvirus 2
4. Rhadinovirus - saimiriine herpesvirus 2

OTHER FAMILIES OF THE ORDER HERPESVIRALES

A. Family Alloherpesviridae
The family includes herpesviruses of fish and amphibians
four genera now recognized:
1. Ictalurivirus - channel catfish virus (ictalurid herpesvirus 1)
2. Salmonivirus
3. Cyprinivirus - cyprinid herpesvirus 3, which can be highly pathogenic to koi and
common carp, as well as goldfish
4. Batrachovirus

B. Family Malacoherpesviridae
Genera:
1. Ostreavirus - ostreid herpesvirus 1
2. Aurivirus - haliotid herpesvirus 1

HERPESVIRUS INFECTIONS OF ANIMALS

VIRUS
RUMINANTS
Bovine herpesvirus 1
Bovine herpesvirus 2
Bovine herpesvirus 5
Ovine herpesvirus 2
Alcelaphine herpesvirus 1
PIGS
Porcine herpesvirus 1 Varicellovirus Causes
(Aujeszky’ s disease virus)
GENUS COMMENTS
Varicellovirus Causes respiratory (infectious bovine
rhinotracheitis) and genital (infectious
pustular vulvovaginitis, balanoposthitis)
infections. Occurs worldwide
Simplexvirus Causes ulcerative mammillitis in temperate
regions and pseudo - lumpy - skin - disease
in tropical and subtropical regions
Varicellovirus Causes encephalitis in calves; described in
several countries
Macavirus Causes subclinical infection in sheep and
goats worldwide. Causes malignant catarrhal
fever in cattle and in some wild ruminants
Macavirus Causes subclinical infection in wildebeest in
Africa and also in captivity. Causes malignant
catarrhal fever in cattle, deer and in other
susceptible ruminants
Aujeszky’s disease in pigs.
Encephalitis, pneumonia and abortion are

Porcine herpesvirus 2
HORSES
Equine herpesvirus 1
Equine herpesvirus 3
Equine herpesvirus 4
DOMESTIC CARNIVORES
Canine herpesvirus 1
Feline herpesvirus 1
BIRDS
Gallid herpesvirus 1 Iltovirus
Gallid herpesvirus 2 (Marek’ Mardivirus
s disease virus)
Anatid herpesvirus 1
features of the disease. In many species
other than pigs, pseudorabies manifests as a
neurological disease with marked pruritus.
Occurs worldwide
Unassigned Causes disease of the upper respiratory tract
in young pigs (inclusion body rhinitis)
Varicellovirus Causes abortion, respiratory disease,
neonatal infection and neurological disease.
Occurs worldwide
Varicellovirus Causes mild venereal infection (coital
exanthema) in both mares and stallions
Varicellovirus Causes rhinopneumonitis in young horses
and sporadic abortion. Occurs worldwide
Varicellovirus Causes a fatal generalized infection in
neonatal pups
Varicellovirus Causes feline viral rhinotracheitis in young
cats
Causes infectious laryngotracheitis.
Causes Marek’s disease, a lymphoproliferative
condition in 12 - to 24 - week - old chickens.
Occurs worldwide
Unassigned Causes acute disease in ducks (duck plague),
geese and swans characterized by oculonasal
discharge, diarrhea and high mortality.
Occurs worldwide

CHARACTERISTICS COMMON TO MANY HERPESVIRUS INFECTIONS

● Transmission is generally associated with direct mucosal contact, but droplet and fomite
infection is also common.
● Moist, cool environmental conditions promote extended survival of herpesviruses,
especially when the virus is not subject to exposure to ultraviolet light.
● Many alphaherpesviruses produce localized lesions, particularly in the skin or on the
mucosae of the respiratory and genital tracts, whereas generalized infections
characterized by foci of necrosis in almost any organ or tissue are typical of infection of
very young or immunocompromised animals or when herpesviruses productively infect
nondefinitive hosts.
● In pregnant animals, a mononuclear-cell-associated viremia may result in the transfer of
alphaherpesviruses across the placenta, leading to abortion, characteristically with
multifocal areas of necrosis in several fetal organs.
● Infections with the beta- and gammaherpesvirus infections are often, but not invariably,
clinically silent, especially in mammals.
● Reactivation is usually associated with often poorly defined stressors such as concurrent
microbial infections, shipping, cold, crowding, or by the administration of glucocorticoid
drugs.
● Persistent infection with periodic or continuous shedding is the hallmark and unifying
principle of all herpesvirus infections.
● Shedding of virus in nasal, oral, or genital secretions (as well as skin for some
alphaherpesviruses, e.g. Marek's disease virus) provides the source of infection for other
animals, including transfer from dam to offspring.

Feline herpesvirus disease: conjunctivitis

a consequence of felid herpesvirus 1 infe
 Equid herpesvirus abortion: interstitial
foal.

Left photo shows blisters (herpetic whitlow)

due to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)
close-up of a neonate's mouth shows a large