Muromegalovirus

Muromegalovirus is a genus of viruses in the order Herpesvirales, in the family Herpesviridae, in the subfamily Betaherpesvirinae. Rodents that belong to the betaherpesvirinae subfamily of herpesviruses serve as natural hosts. There are currently three species in this genus including the type species Murid herpesvirus 1. Diseases associated with this genus include: infected peritoneal macrophages, dendritic cells (DC) and hepatocytes, inducing significant pathology in both the spleen and the liver. Murid viruses murid herpesvirus 1 (MuHV-1) and murid herpesvirus 2 (MuHV-2)--previously defined as mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV)--belong to this genus.