varicella virus

Varicella zoster virus belongs to the Herpesviridae family. There is only one serotype. The virus is spherical and 120 to 200nm in diameter. The virus capsid is a symmetrical 20-sided body with 162 capsid particles. The outer layer is a lipoprotein envelope and the core is double-stranded DNA. The virus contains DNA polymerase and thymine kinase. The former is an enzyme necessary for DNA synthesis and is common to Herpesvirus. The latter is only found in herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus. It is generally believed that viruses that do not produce thymine kinase cannot cause latent infection and cause herpes zoster. Virus-infected cells can form multinucleated giant cells with eosinophilic inclusions in the nucleus. Viruses are weak to the outside world, do not tolerate acid and heat, cannot survive in crusts, and can be inactivated by disinfectants such as ether. Man is the only known host in nature.