In nature, herpesviruses infect both vertebrate and non-vertebrate species, and over a hundred have been at least partially characterized. Only eight of these have been isolated routinely from humans and are discussed here. They are known as the human herpesviruses and are herpes simplex virus type 1, herpes simplex virus type 2, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6, human herpesvirus 7 and, most recently, Kaposi's Sarcoma herpesvirus. A primate herpesvirus, namely B virus, is an uncommon human pathogen that may cause life-threatening disease.
Copyright © 1996, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.