The human herpes viruses all share some common properties. One shared property is virus structure. genital herpes pictures
All herpesviruses are composed of relatively large, double-stranded, circular DNA genomes, encoding 100-200 genes. They are encased within an icosahedral protein cage, called the capsid. It is wrapped in a lipid, bi-layer membrane, called the envelope. This particle is known as the virion. genital herpes pictures
Herpes virus in action.
Following binding, of viral envelope protein to cell membrane receptors, the virion is internalized and dismantled. This allows viral DNA to migrate to the cell nucleus. Within the nucleus, viral DNA undergoes limited replication and transcription, of a small number of viral genes. These are termed latent genes. What does herpes look like
In this fashion, the virus persists in the cell (and thus the host), indefinitely. While primary infection is often accompanied by a self-limited period of clinical illness, long-term latency is symptom-free.
Following activation, the virus switches on transcription of multiple, additional non-latent genes. These are termed lytic genes. They lead to enhanced replication and virus production.
Often, lytic activation leads to cell death. Clinically, lytic activation is often accompanied by emergence of non-specific symptoms. These include fever, headache, malaise, and rash. What does herpes look like