Introduction to human herpesviruses:

Gifts that last a lifetime…

What is human herpesviruses?

Human herpesviruses are a family of viruses that cause important childhood illnesses. One feature they all share in common is their ability to cause dormant infections that stay in infected children for the rest of their lives. Sometimes these dormant infections can flare up and cause symptoms over time.

Human herpesvirus 1: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) (oral)

Human herpesvirus 2: herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) (genital)

Human herpesvirus 3: cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Human herpesvirus 4: varicella-zoster virus (VZV) (chickenpox, shingles)

Human herpesvirus 5: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (infectious mononucleosis)

Human herpesvirus 6: (HHV-6) (roseola)

Human herpesvirus 7: (HHV-7) (roseola)

Human herpesvirus 8: (HHV-8) (Kaposi sarcoma)

Related A-to-Z Information:

Chickenpox (Varicella), CMV (Cytomegalovirus), Herpes Simplex, Mononucleosis (Mono), Roseola