Preface

The relationship between herpesviruses and humans probably dates from thousands of years ago. In the last few decades, many aspects of herpesvirus infections have been understood, such as infections with a severe outcome to mild or subclinical manifestations. Herpesvirus can remain latent during a lifetime and sometimes their reactivation can cause different clinical features in the patient. Several conditions have been related to herpesvirus reactivation such as complications in transplant organ recipients and immune regulatory modification in the elderly. In this book, aspects of human herpesvirus simples, varicella-zoster virus, and cytomegalovirus have been presented and discussed by our eminent colleagues.

As the editor, I thank all of the authors for their contribution to this book and the sharing of their experience on herpesvirus infections with researchers, physicians, other professionals, and students around the world. I thank you for your hard work.

To my colleagues at the Federal University of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys and others whom, during my life, have contributed to scientific insights and/or friendship, you have molded my ethos and professional features. To my wife Fabiana and my children Helena and Miguel for inspirations of the soul and my lovely life. I love you all. To my parents Tereza and Osvaldo (*in memorial*) for education given at the dawn of my life and all other relatives and friends. Finally, I thank Mrs. Lada Bozic for her assistance in turning this publication in to a 'real dream'.

Thank you all.

**II**

**Section 5**

*by Emmanuel Drouet*

Epstein-Barr Virus **95**

**Chapter 6 97**

The Role of the Epstein-Barr Virus Lytic Cycle in Tumor Progression:

Consequences in Diagnosis and Therapy

**Ronaldo Luis Thomasini PhD, MSc, BSc.** Professor, Faculty of Medicine of Diamantina, Federal University of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys, Brazil

**1**

Section 1

Introduction

Section 1 Introduction

**3**

**Table 1.**

*Members of the human herpesvirus family.*

**Chapter 1**

Introduction

*Ronaldo Luis Thomasini*

**1. Introduction**

tion in the elderly.

different diseases.

Introductory Chapter:

Human Herpesvirus - A Short

The relationship between herpesviruses and humans probably proceeds from thousands of years. In the last decades, many aspects of herpesviral infections have been understood since infections with a severe outcome to mild or subclinical manifestations. Several conditions have been related to herpesviral reactivation since complications in transplant-organ recipients to immune regulatory modifica-

The manifestations caused by the herpesvirus simples in the oral region are classically known. Manifestations with labial lesions and sometimes stomatitis can occur in a considerable part of the population at some point in the individual's life. Usually, these lip lesions are self-limiting although they are often recurrent [1]. Other herpesviruses have been considered as emerging pathogens in the etiology of

Human herpesviruses belong to the family *Herpesviridae*, they are ubiquitous viruses and once the first infection occurs, they remain in the body of the affected individual (latency) during the lifetime. These viruses cause a wide variety of diseases, and infections are often benign, but may in immunocompromised individuals cause clinical manifestations with different level of severity [2, 3].

The *Herpesviridae* family is divided into 3 subfamilies: Alphaherpesvirinae (*α-herpesvirinae*), Betaherpesvirinae (*β-herpesvirinae*) and Gammaherpesvirinae (*γ-herpesvirinae*). These are distinguished by their viral and structural characteristics, as well as by their pathogenic potential. All types of viruses classified into this

**Virus Synonymous Subfamily Abbreviation** Human herpesvirus 1 Herpes simplex-1 α HSV-1/HHV-1 Human herpesvirus 2 Herpes simplex-2 α HSV-2/HHV-2 Human herpesvirus 3 Varicella-zoster α VZV/HHV-3 Human herpesvirus 4 Epstein-Barr γ EBV/HSV-4 Human herpesvirus 5 Cytomegalovirus β CMV/HHV-5 Human herpesvirus 6 None β HHV-6 Human herpesvirus 7 None β HHV-7 Human herpesvirus 8 None γ KSHV/HHV-8
