Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), intact virion illustration
OpenAI-generated molecular rendering, 26 October 2026. Transparent background. Original generated image used unchanged; viewport crop removes empty margins.

Representative scale: approximately 225 nm outer diameter including glycoprotein spikes, versus an average 186 nm at the base of the envelope. Source: ICTV Orthoherpesviridae report, Morphology section, citing Grünewald et al. (2003). Mature virions are pleomorphic and vary in size.
https://ictv.global/report/chapter/orthoherpesviridae/orthoherpesviridae
https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/mbio.00825-17

The surface protein distribution, molecular granules, lighting and assigned colours are illustrative. This is not microscopy, a direct experimental reconstruction or a certified atomic structure. It depicts a closed envelope, so internal capsid and DNA are not visible. Spikes are included in the displayed total span rather than silently added outside the comparison dimension.

Primary cryo-electron tomography paper: Grünewald et al., Science 302 (2003), 1396–1398. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1090284