Macacine gammaherpesvirus 4

Macacine gammaherpesvirus 4 (McHV-4), commonly known as rhesus lymphocryptovirus (RLV), is a species of virus in the genus Lymphocryptovirus, subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae, family Herpesviridae, and order Herpesvirales.^[1][2]

Lymphocryptovirus macacinegamma4
Virus classification
(unranked):	Virus
Realm:	Duplodnaviria
Kingdom:	Heunggongvirae
Phylum:	Peploviricota
Class:	Herviviricetes
Order:	Herpesvirales
Family:	Orthoherpesviridae
Genus:	Lymphocryptovirus
Species:	Lymphocryptovirus macacinegamma4
Synonyms
Rhesus lymphocryptovirus Cercopithecine herpesvirus 15 Macacine gammaherpesvirus 4 Rhesus HHV-4-like virus Rhesus Epstein Barr virus Rhesus EBV-like herpesvirus

In nature, RLV infects rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Comparison with Epstein-Barr virus

Its genetic structure has been fully sequenced and found to be highly homologous with that of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), at 65%. The structural proteins are highly conserved, while genes expressed during Human gammaherpesvirus 4 latent infection are much less well conserved. Even in cases where genes have low homology, the RLV infection genes are functionally interchangeable with EBV genes.^[3]

RLV infection in rhesus monkeys resembles EBV infection in humans in several respects:

• Oral transmission,
• Atypical lymphocytosis
• Lymphadenopathy
• Activation of CD23+ peripheral blood B cells
• Sustained serologic responses to lytic and latent Human gammaherpesvirus 4 antigens
• Latent infection in the peripheral blood
• Virus persistence in oropharyngeal secretions

These features make the rhesus lymphocryptovirus potentially useful for studying the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of EBV infection and associated oncogenesis.^[4]