HERPES

Question 1

Front

Answer 1

Back

Question 2

What are Herpesviridae?

Answer 2

A large family of DNA viruses causing latent or lytic infections in animals, including humans.

Question 3

What does ‘Herpesviridae’ mean?

Answer 3

Derived from the Greek ‘herpein,’ meaning ‘to creep,’ referring to their latent, recurrent infections.

Question 4

What are the major human herpesviruses?

Answer 4

HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV, CMV, HHV-6, HHV-7, HHV-8.

Question 5

What are the characteristics of herpesvirus infections?

Answer 5

Latent infections, lifelong persistence, reactivation in immunosuppressed hosts, some associated with cancer.

Question 6

What is latency in herpesviruses?

Answer 6

A state where the virus remains in a quiescent phase with its genome present but not actively replicating.

Question 7

What is reactivation in herpesviruses?

Answer 7

The process where latent virus becomes active, causing symptomatic disease.

Question 8

Which herpesviruses cause vesicular rashes?

Answer 8

HSV-1, HSV-2, and VZV.

Question 9

Which herpesviruses are oncogenic?

Answer 9

EBV (Burkitt’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma) and HHV-8 (Kaposi’s sarcoma).

Question 10

What are the subfamilies of herpesviruses?

Answer 10

Alpha (HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV), Beta (CMV, HHV-6, HHV-7), Gamma (EBV, HHV-8).

Question 11

What is the primary site of latency for HSV-1?

Answer 11

Trigeminal ganglia.

Question 12

What is the primary site of latency for HSV-2?

Answer 12

Lumbar and sacral ganglia.

Question 13

How are HSV-1 and HSV-2 transmitted?

Answer 13

HSV-1: saliva; HSV-2: sexual contact and perinatal transmission.

Question 14

What is a Tzanck smear?

Answer 14

A diagnostic test showing multinucleated giant cells in herpesvirus lesions.

Question 15

What is the treatment for herpesvirus infections?

Answer 15

Acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir; foscarnet for resistant cases.

Question 16

What are the primary diseases caused by VZV?

Answer 16

Varicella (chickenpox) and zoster (shingles).

Question 17

What are the complications of varicella?

Answer 17

Pneumonia, encephalopathy, Reye’s syndrome, congenital varicella syndrome.

Question 18

What is postherpetic neuralgia?

Answer 18

Chronic pain following zoster, especially in elderly or immunocompromised patients.

Question 19

What are the modes of CMV transmission?

Answer 19

Placenta, birth canal, breast milk, saliva, sexual contact, blood transfusions, organ transplants.

Question 20

What is the main clinical syndrome caused by CMV in immunocompetent adults?

Answer 20

Heterophile-negative mononucleosis.

Question 21

What are the complications of CMV in immunocompromised patients?

Answer 21

Pneumonia, retinitis, colitis, and systemic infections.

Question 22

What is EBV’s mode of transmission?

Answer 22

Primarily through saliva (‘kissing disease’).

Question 23

What are the diseases associated with EBV?

Answer 23

Infectious mononucleosis, Burkitt’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Question 24

What are heterophile antibodies?

Answer 24

IgM antibodies produced during EBV infection, detected by the Monospot test.

Question 25

What is Kaposi’s sarcoma?

Answer 25

A malignancy of vascular endothelial cells caused by HHV-8, common in AIDS patients.

Question 26

What is the prevention for VZV?

Answer 26

Vaccination with live attenuated varicella or zoster vaccine.

Question 27

What are the laboratory tests for herpesvirus diagnosis?

Answer 27

PCR, Tzanck smear, viral culture, serology, and immunofluorescence staining.