Lymphocryptovirus

Lymphocryptovirus is a genus of viruses placed in the order Herpesvirales, the family Orthoherpesviridae and the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae. It includes the human-infecting Epstein-Barr virus together with related viruses that infect Old World monkeys and New World monkeys, and it has also been called Lymphocryptoviridae (although a family rank is not the accepted taxonomy) and the gamma-1 herpesviruses. Nine species are recognised, among them viruses of macaques, baboons, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and marmosets. The virions are enveloped, roughly 150 to 200 nm across, with a T=16 icosahedral capsid and a linear, non-segmented double-stranded DNA genome of about 180 kb. Replication takes place in the nucleus, and spread among its human and other mammal hosts is by contact, bite and saliva. Diseases associated with the genus include mononucleosis, Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.