Macavirus is a genus of viruses in the order Herpesvirales, in the family Herpesviridae, in the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae. Mammals serve as natural hosts. There are nine species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include: inapparent infection in their reservoir hosts (wildebeest for alHV-1 and sheep for ovHV-2), but fatal lymphoproliferative disease when they infect MCF-susceptible hosts, including cattle, deer, bison, water buffalo and pigs.^[1][2]

The genus consists of the following nine species:^[2]

• Macavirus alcelaphinegamma1, also called Alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1
• Macavirus alcelaphinegamma2, also called Alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 2
• Macavirus bovinegamma6, also called Bovine gammaherpesvirus 6
• Macavirus caprinegamma2, also called Caprine gammaherpesvirus 2
• Macavirus hippotraginegamma1, also called Hippotragine gammaherpesvirus 1
• Macavirus ovinegamma2, also called Ovine gammaherpesvirus 2
• Macavirus suidgamma3, also called Suid gammaherpesvirus 3
• Macavirus suidgamma4, also called Suid gammaherpesvirus 4
• Macavirus suidgamma5, also called Suid gammaherpesvirus 5

Viruses in Macavirus are enveloped, with icosahedral, spherical to pleomorphic, and Round geometries, and T=16 symmetry. The diameter is around 150-200 nm. Genomes are linear and non-segmented, around 180kb in length.^[1]

Viral replication is nuclear, and is lysogenic. Entry into the host cell is achieved by attachment of the viral glycoproteins to host receptors, which mediates endocytosis. Replication follows the dsDNA bidirectional replication model. Dna templated transcription, with some alternative splicing mechanism is the method of transcription. The virus exits the host cell by nuclear egress, and budding. Mammals serve as the natural host.^[1]

• Viralzone: Macavirus
• ICTV