IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF POTENTIALLY NOVEL HERPESVIRUSES IN VERTEBRATE SPECIES
type: CreativeWork
description: The Herpesviridae family includes a diverse group of viruses that can infect a broad spectrum of vertebrate hosts, ranging from fish to mammals. The structural unit of these viruses, known as the virion, contains a linear, double-stranded DNA genome that is encapsulated within an icosahedral capsid, which is further surrounded by a protein layer called the tegument. The outer surface of the tegument is associated with a lipid envelope, which incorporates glycoproteins that facilitate viral attachment and entry into host cells. Herpesviruses have co-evolved with specific hosts and are extremely adapted to them; indeed, in these adapted hosts they establish a life-long latent and sub-clinical infection. However, various pathological manifestations can still arise in fetuses, newborns, and immunocompromised individuals as a result of primary infection or reactivation. Furthermore, herpesviruses can cross species barriers and infect non-adapted hosts, which can lead to severe consequences. Non-adapted hosts typically lack the evolutionary adaptations necessary to effectively control the virus, resulting in increased viral pathogenicity and significant clinical disease. Based on biological and phylogenetic characteristics this virus family is divided into three sub-families: Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae, and Gammaherpesvirinae. Each sub-family includes distinct genera and species. However, many herpesviruses that infect non-human species remain unclassified due to their limited genetic data available in existing databases. This insufficiency complicates both the classification and the identification of these viruses. This issue is particularly evident in studies involving Malignant Catarrhal Fever Viruses (MCFVs) and alphaherpesviruses found in reptiles and pinnipeds, where there is considerable viral diversity but insufficient genomic resources. Consequently, the classification of these viruses often lacks clarity and precision, making species and strain-level …
abstract: The Herpesviridae family includes a diverse group of viruses that can infect a broad spectrum of vertebrate hosts, ranging from fish to mammals. The structural unit of these viruses, known as the virion, contains a linear, double-stranded DNA genome that is encapsulated within an icosahedral capsid, which is further surrounded by a protein layer called the tegument. The outer surface of the tegument is associated with a lipid envelope, which incorporates glycoproteins that facilitate viral attachment and entry into host cells. Herpesviruses have co-evolved with specific hosts and are extremely adapted to them; indeed, in these adapted hosts they establish a life-long latent and sub-clinical infection. However, various pathological manifestations can still arise in fetuses, newborns, and immunocompromised individuals as a result of primary infection or reactivation. Furthermore, herpesviruses can cross species barriers and infect non-adapted hosts, which can lead to severe consequences. Non-adapted hosts typically lack the evolutionary adaptations necessary to effectively control the virus, resulting in increased viral pathogenicity and significant clinical disease. Based on biological and phylogenetic characteristics this virus family is divided into three sub-families: Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae, and Gammaherpesvirinae. Each sub-family includes distinct genera and species. However, many herpesviruses that infect non-human species remain unclassified due to their limited genetic data available in existing databases. This insufficiency complicates both the classification and the identification of these viruses. This issue is particularly evident in studies involving Malignant Catarrhal Fever Viruses (MCFVs) and alphaherpesviruses found in reptiles and pinnipeds, where there is considerable viral diversity but insufficient genomic resources. Consequently, the classification of these viruses often lacks clarity and precision, making species and strain-level …
author: BIANCHESSI, LAURA
language: eng
keywords: Settore MVET-03/A - Malattie infettive degli animali
date published: 2025-03-10
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:18:43Z
provider: Università degli Studi di Milano
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Università degli Studi di Milano

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1151677