Herpes Flashcards
What are the 8 human herpesvirus types?
- HHV1 - Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1)
- HHV2 - Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2)
- HHV3 - Varicella-zoster virus (VZV)
- HHV4 - Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
- HHV5 - Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- HHV 6 - Human herpesvirus type 6
- HHV 7 - Human herpesvirus type 7
- HHV 8 - Human herpesvirus type 8
Describe the structure
Envelope, genome etc
- 100-180nm diameter
- Regular icosahedral capsid composed of 162 capsomeres
- Ether-sensitive outer membrane
- Double-stranded DNA
Describe the replication
- Viral envelope binds to cell receptors and fuses with cell membrane. Virus uncoats.
- Viral DNA replicates and is transcribed within nucleus, giving rise to structural proteins.
- Viral DNA is packaged into capsids.
- Viral glycoproteins are incorporated into nuclear membrane to form viral envelope and virions bud out through nucleus and released at cell surface.
What does it grow in?
Tissue culture
What does it produce?
- Pocks on chorio-allantoic membrane
- Characteristic giant cells and eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies (except EBV)
Describe the latency
- Following primary infection, herpesvirus sequester into sites where they remain quiescent
- Viral reactivation leading to recurrent infection may be triggered by factors such as immunosuppression
Primary site of HSV1
Lips
Transmitted by kissing
Primary site of HSV2
Genitalia
Transmitted sexually and perinatally
Describe the pathology of HSV1 and HSV2
- Vesicular eruption
- proliferation
- ballooning degeneration
- acidophilic intranuclear inclusions - Encephalitis
- meningitis
- perivascular infiltration
- neuronal degeneration - Early inclusion
- cowdry type A inclusion body
Describe the primary infection of HSV1 and HSV2
Mostly subclinical
May be severe with rash lasting 3-4 weeks in some adults
Where does HSV1 and HSV2 travel and how does it reactivate?
- Travels along sensory nerves to sensory ganglia where it persists lifelong in a latent state
- Reactivation by factors involving virus travelling down nerve fibres resulting in lesions
What are the factors affecting reactivation of HSV1 and HSV2?
- Immunosuppression
- Fever
- Stress
- Menstruation
What are the clinical presentation of HSV1? (8)
- Acute herpetic gingivostomatitis
- Herpes labialis
- Herpetic whitlow
- Eczema herpeticum
- Kereatoconjunctivitis
- Aseptic meningitis
- Acute necrotising encephalitis
- Disseminated herpes in immunocompromised subjects
What does HSV1 acute herpetic gingivostomatitis cause? How common is it? How does it spread?
- Vesicles on buccal mucosa, gums ulcerate with grey slough
- Fever
- Lymphadenopathy
- Commonest primary disease esp. in young children
- Spread mainly by kissing
What does HSV1 herpes labialis cause? How does it come about?
- Cold sore
- Herpes febrilis
- Crop of vesicles at mucocutaneous junction of lips or near nose (later with painful ulcers)
- Commonest recurrent disease from reactivation of HSV in trigeminal ganglion