Herpesviruses Flashcards
Click on Answer for electron micrographs of herpesviruses.
What family do herpesviruses belong to?
Herpesviridae
State the three subfamilies of Herpesviruses, also listing their respective members.
(1) Alphaherpesviruses: HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV (HHV-3)
(2) Betaherpesviruses: CMV (HHV-5), HHV-6, HHV-7
(3) Gammaherpesviruses: EBV (HHV-4), HHV-8
What type of genetic material do herpesviruses have?
double-stranded DNA
What is the primary disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV)?
chickenpox and shingles
What is the common name for human herpesvirus 5 (HHV-5)?
cytomegalovirus (CMV)
What is the structure of a herpesvirus particle?
An icosahedral capsid, tegument, and lipid envelope.
What is the term for the ability of herpesviruses to remain dormant in the body?
latency
What is the primary mode of transmission for herpesviruses?
intimate contact
What is the tegument of a herpes virus and what is its significance?
The tegument is the space between the envelope and the capsid. It contains viral proteins and enzymes that help initiate replication.
How are HSV-1 and HSV-2 transmitted?
HSV-1 is typically transmitted through oral contact, while HSV-2 is usually transmitted through sexual contact. Both require close personal contact for transmission.
What is the primary site of infection for HSV-1?
What is the primary site of infection for HSV-2?
The primary site of infection for HSV-2 is the genital or perigenital area, leading to genital herpes.
Describe the latency and reactivation process of HSV.
After the initial infection, HSV travels to the sensory ganglia; HSV-1 establishes latency in the trigeminal ganglion, whereas HSV-2 establishes latency in the sacral ganglia. Reactivation can occur due to various triggers, leading to the virus traveling back to the skin or mucous membranes, causing recurrent lesions.
What are common triggers for HSV reactivation?
Recurrences may be activated by various stimuli which include stress, trauma, or fever, sunlight, menses and certain foods.
What is ocular herpes?
Ocular herpes is an infection of the eye caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which can affect various parts of the eye. It is usually caused by HSV-1.
How is ocular herpes contracted?
People typically contract ocular herpes by touching a cold sore and then touching the eyes with their contaminated fingers.
What are the different types of ocular herpes?
epithelial keratitis (outer layer of the cornea), stromal keratitis (deeper layers of the cornea), herpes simplex uveitis (inflammation of the uvea), herpes zoster ophthalmicus (caused by the varicella-zoster virus)
Discuss herpetic whitlow.
This is a painful infection of the fingers or thumbs caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It can be caused by either HSV-1 or HSV-2.
Symptoms: painful fluid-filled blisters on the skin near the fingernail, redness and swelling around the affected area.
[Image 1] [Image 2]
Further notes:
Herpetic whitlow tends to be more common among dentists and dental hygienists. This is because they frequently come into contact with the herpes simplex virus (HSV) through patients’ oral secretions, especially if there are holes in their latex gloves.