From Citizendium - Reading time: 1 min
Humanherpes viruses (HHV) are a group of DNA viruses, important in human disease.
Subtypes[edit]
- HHV-1 also known as Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1)
- HHV-2 also known as Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2)
- HHV-3 also know as Varicella-zoster virus (VZV)
- HHV-4 also known as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
- HHV-5 also known as Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- HHV-6 is the cause of the childhood disease, roseola
- HHV-7 "is classified within the genus Roseolovirus within the subfamily Betaherpesvirinae, as is HHV-6." (reference for quote:Chapter 16: Human Herpes Viruses 6, 7, and 8 in Gershon: Krugman's Infectious Diseases of Children, 11th ed.Mosby 2004
- HHV-8 also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)
Diseases[edit]
- HHV-1 and -2 cause "Herpes" (see Sexually transmitted disease).
- HHV-3 (VZV) is the causative agent of Chicken Pox and Shingles.
- HHV-4 (EBV) is one of the causes of mononucleosis and can cause many more serious diseases, especially in patients who are immunocompromised. It is also one of the oncogenic (cancer-causing) viruses, responsible for some types of lymphoma. In transplant patients, EBV is often responsible for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease.
- HHV-5 (CMV) is the most common cause of mononucleosis.
- HHV-6 is the cause of the childhood disease, roseola
- HHV-8 causes Kaposi's sarcoma, a common disease in advanced AIDS, also seen in other immunocompromised individuals.