Any virus of the herpesvirus group, which comprises a family of 70 species, 5 of which are pathogenic to humans; the term also refers to any infection caused by these viruses. Since these pathogens are ubiquitous in nature, most individuals of all populations are exposed to and thus immunized to these viruses. The five pathogenic groups include herpes simplex I and II, varicella-zoster, cytomegalovirus, and the Epstein-Barr virus.