Varicellovirus

Varicellovirus (var′i-sel′ō-vi′rŭs) is a genus of Alphaherpesvirinae.

Morphology

Varicellovirus is the causative agent of chickenpox in humans. While the infection is usually self-limiting, virions remain in a latent state in the dorsal root ganglia. The virus can be reactivated later in life, causing herpes zoster. Virions consist of an envelope, a tegument, a nucleocapsid, and a core. 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.

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.

Capsid/nucleocapsid is round 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 half-way 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 ^[1].

Hosts

The virus's natural host is a single type of vertebrate host. It is also able to infect Homo sapiens (humans) ^[2].

Literature

See also

• Varicella zoster virus
• Simian varicella virus

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