''Varicellovirus'' (var′i-sel′ō-vi′rŭs) is a genus of
viruses
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Viruses are found in almo ...
belonging to subfamily ''
Alphaherpesvirinae
''Alphaherpesvirinae'' is a subfamily of viruses in the family ''Herpesviridae'', primarily distinguished by reproducing more quickly than other subfamilies in the ''Herpesviridae''. In animal virology the most important herpesviruses belong to ...
'', a member of family ''
Herpesviridae
''Orthoherpesviridae'', previously named and more widely known as ''Herpesviridae'', is a large family of DNA viruses that cause infections and certain diseases in animals, including humans. The members of this family are commonly known as herp ...
''. Humans and other mammals serve as natural hosts. There are 19 species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include: HHV-3—chickenpox (varicella) and shingles; BoHV-1—infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IPV); and SuHV-1 (also known as
pseudorabies virus)—
Aujesky's disease.
Species
The following 20 species are assigned to the genus in ICTV 2022
* ''
Varicellovirus bovinealpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus bovinealpha5''
* ''
Varicellovirus bubalinealpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus canidalpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus caprinealpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus cercopithecinealpha9''
* ''
Varicellovirus cervidalpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus cervidalpha2''
* ''
Varicellovirus cervidalpha3''
* ''
Varicellovirus equidalpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus equidalpha3''
* ''
Varicellovirus equidalpha4''
*
Varicellovirus equidalpha6
* ''
Varicellovirus equidalpha8''
* ''
Varicellovirus equidalpha9''
* ''
Varicellovirus felidalpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus humanalpha3''
* ''
Varicellovirus monodontidalpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus phocidalpha1''
* ''
Varicellovirus suidalpha1''
Structure
As with other
alphaherpesviruses, the virus particle has a layered structure: Virions consist of an
envelope
An envelope is a common packaging item, usually made of thin, flat material. It is designed to contain a flat object, such as a letter (message), letter or Greeting card, card.
Traditional envelopes are made from sheets of paper cut to one o ...
, a
tegument, a
nucleocapsid
A capsid is the protein shell of a virus, enclosing its genetic material. It consists of several oligomeric (repeating) structural subunits made of protein called protomers. The observable 3-dimensional morphological subunits, which may or ma ...
, and a core.
Tegument is disordered; they do not display a structure and proteins in variable amounts are arranged sometimes in an asymmetric layer located between envelope and capsid. The viral capsid is contained within a spherical envelope which is 120–200 nm in diameter. Surface projections on envelope (viral
receptors) are densely dispersed and contain small spikes that evenly dot the surface.
The capsid/nucleocapsid is round with
triangulation number T=16 and exhibits
icosahedral symmetry. The capsid is isometric and has a diameter of 100–110 nm.
The capsid consists of 162 capsomer proteins with a hexagonal base and a hole running halfway down the long axis. The core consists of a fibrillar spool on which the DNA is wrapped. The end of the fibers are anchored to the underside of the capsid shell. It is a double-stranded enveloped DNA virus
Life cycle
Viral replication is nuclear, and is lysogenic. Entry into the host cell is achieved by attachment of the viral glycoproteins to host receptors, which mediates endocytosis. Replication follows the dsDNA bidirectional replication model. DNA-templated transcription, with some alternative splicing mechanism is the method of transcription. The virus exits the host cell by nuclear egress, and budding.
Humans and mammals serve as the natural host.
Only one member of the Varicellovirus genus,
Varicella zoster virus
Varicella zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpesvirus 3 (HHV-3, HHV3), is one of nine known herpes viruses that can infect humans. It causes chickenpox (varicella) commonly affecting children and young adults, and shingles (herpes zos ...
(HHV-3) infects ''
Homo sapiens
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...
'' (humans).
References
External links
Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource (ViPR): ''Herpesviridae''ICTV
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1449514
Virus genera