Noun | 1. | herpes virus - any of the animal viruses that cause painful blisters on the skin animal virus - an animal pathogen that is a virus herpes simplex virus, herpes simplex - a herpes virus that affects the skin and nervous system herpes zoster virus - a herpes virus that causes shingles EBV, Epstein-Barr virus - the herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis; associated with specific cancers in Africa and China CMV, cytomegalovirus - any of a group of herpes viruses that enlarge epithelial cells and can cause birth defects; can affect humans with impaired immunological systems varicella zoster virus - the member of the herpes virus family that is responsible for chickenpox |