bild

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) particles, illustration. VZV is a member of the Herpes virus family and causes chickenpox and shingles in humans. Each particle (virion) consists of a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA, pink) core surrounded by an icosahedral capsid (yellow). Outside of this is a proteinaceous layer known as the tegument (green) and then a lipoprotein envelope (orange) containing glycoproteins (spikes). (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/TIM VERNON / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)