[1][2] Herpesviruses represent a group of double-stranded DNA viruses distributed widely within the animal kingdom.

The family Herpesviridae, which contains eight viruses that infect humans, is the most extensively studied group within this order and comprises three subfamilies, namely Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae and Gammaherpesvirinae.

[1] The main stages in the lifecycle of Gamma herpes virus are namely • Virus attachment and entry • Viral DNA injection through nuclear pore complex (NPC) into nucleus • Assembly of nucleocapsids and encapsidation of viral genome • Primary envelopment, invaginations of nuclear membranes and nuclear egress • Tegumentation and secondary envelopment in the cytoplasm • Egress and extracellular virions release [3][4] The lytic cycle of the gammaherpesviruses is initiated only on rare occasions.

[6] Viruses that establish lifelong latent infections must ensure that the viral genome is maintained within the latently infected cell throughout the life of the host, yet at the same time must also be capable of avoiding elimination by the immune surveillance system especially must avoid being detected by host CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs).

[4] The gammaherpesviruses, including HVS, EBV, KSHV, and RRV, are capable of establishing latent infection in lymphocytes.

[8] Attenuated virus mutants represent a promising approach towards gamma-herpesvirus infection control.

[7] Research in this area is almost exclusively performed using MHV68 as KSHV and EBV (the major human pathogens of this family) do not productively infect model organisms typically used for this type of experimentation.

At the left end of each viral genome are located ORFs encoding distinct transforming proteins.