(hĕr‵pēz‵vī'rĭ-dē )

[herpes + virus + -idae]

A large family of structurally similar DNA viruses, all of which produce chronic infections and some of which can transform normal cells into malignant ones. Members of the Herpesviridae family are known as herpesviruses and include the herpes simplex viruses, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus, and human herpesviruses 6, 7, and 8.

SEE: herpesvirus.