Varicella-zoster viruses. Coloured Transmission Electron Micrograph (TEM) of three virions of the Varicella-Zoster virus. They cause chickenpox and shingles in humans. Chickenpox is a highly infectious illness affecting mainly children. Shingles is a less common condition affecting adults. Symptoms of shingles include pain along distribution of nerve roots, together with blistering of the overlying skin. A childhood attack of chickenpox normally confers lifelong immunity to the disease, with the virus remaining latent, but with the capacity to be reactivated in adult life to produce shingles. Magnification: x88,000 at 6x7cm size. Orange & yellow virions on blue background.