Herpesviridae

Orthoherpesviridae, previously named and more widely known as Herpesviridae, is a large <a href="/facts/Family_(biology)/qTrn6E8E">family</a> of <a href="/facts/DNA_virus/sAHrgFsv">DNA viruses</a> that cause infections and certain diseases in animals, including humans. The members of this family are commonly known as herpesviruses. The family name is derived from the Greek word ἕρπειν (herpein 'to creep'), referring to spreading cutaneous lesions, usually involving blisters, seen in flares of herpes simplex 1, herpes simplex 2 and herpes zoster (<a href="/facts/Shingles/2rEq69rr">shingles</a>). In 1971, the <a href="/facts/International_Committee_on_the_Taxonomy_of_Viruses/M71khRCo">International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses</a> (ICTV) established Herpesvirus as a genus with 23 viruses among four groups. Since then, the number of identified herpesviruses has grown to more than 100. Herpesviruses can cause both <a href="/facts/Virus_latency/kAE8er0Q">latent</a> and <a href="/facts/Lytic_cycle/lBHxkeAj">lytic</a> infections.
Nine herpesvirus types are known to primarily infect humans, at least five of which are extremely widespread among most human populations, and which cause common diseases: <a href="/facts/Herpes_simplex_virus/pStCydgY">herpes simplex</a> 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2, also known as HHV-1 and HHV-2; both of which can cause <a href="/facts/Orolabial_herpes/GhCFA4cI">orolabial</a> and <a href="/facts/Genital_herpes/evzPRkxt">genital herpes</a>), <a href="/facts/Varicella_zoster_virus/ebbSkn9U">varicella zoster</a> (VZV or HHV-3; the cause of <a href="/facts/Chickenpox/XkGzx2GE">chickenpox</a> and <a href="/facts/Herpes_zoster/2rEq69rr">shingles</a>), <a href="/facts/Epstein%25E2%2580%2593Barr_virus/Uv8f1PNd">Epstein–Barr</a> (EBV or HHV-4; implicated in several diseases, including <a href="/facts/Mononucleosis/pTwDw4VF">mononucleosis</a> and some cancers), and <a href="/facts/Human_cytomegalovirus/feIew5I6">human cytomegalovirus</a> (HCMV or HHV-5). More than 90% of adults have been infected with at least one of these, and a <a href="/facts/Virus_latency/kAE8er0Q">latent form</a> of the virus remains in almost all humans who have been infected. Other human herpesviruses are <a href="/facts/Human_herpesvirus_6/xY7NHqmW">human herpesvirus 6A and 6B</a> (HHV-6A and HHV-6B) and <a href="/facts/Human_herpesvirus_7/PJcWkSW6">human herpesvirus 7</a> (HHV-7), which are the etiological agents for <a href="/facts/Roseola/V2N7rtg1">Roseola</a>, and HHV-8 (also known as KSHV) which is responsible for causing <a href="/facts/Kaposi%2527s_sarcoma/0IFdzpbH">Kaposi's sarcoma</a>. HHV here stands for "Human Herpesvirus".
In total, more than 130 herpesviruses are known, some of them from mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and molluscs. Among the animal herpesviruses are <a href="/facts/Pseudorabies_virus/WNHRUXey">pseudorabies virus</a> causing <a href="/facts/Aujeszky%2527s_disease/WNHRUXey">Aujeszky's disease</a> in pigs, and <a href="/facts/Bovine_herpesvirus_1/U54psId2">bovine herpesvirus 1</a> causing <a href="/facts/Bovine_infectious_rhinotracheitis/U54psId2">bovine infectious rhinotracheitis</a> and <a href="/facts/Pustular_vulvovaginitis/U54psId2">pustular vulvovaginitis</a>.

Herpesviridae open-in-new

Herpesviridae