After initial infection, which family's viruses can establish latency and be reactivated later?

The Herpesviridae family of viruses is well-known for their ability to establish latency following initial infection. After the primary infection, these viruses can remain in a dormant state within the host's cells, often residing in nerve cells. This latent infection can later reactivate, leading to recurrent outbreaks or symptoms.

For example, the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), which is part of the Herpesviridae family, can become latent in sensory ganglia after the initial infection and may reactivate in response to various stimuli such as stress, immunosuppression, or other triggers. Other members of this family, like Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox, can also remain dormant and later reactivate as shingles.

In contrast, the other families listed in the options do not maintain a latent state in a similar manner. Picornaviridae viruses generally cause acute infections and are cleared by the immune system without establishing latency. Paramyxoviridae and Bunyaviridae viruses also do not establish latency; instead, they typically cause acute infections followed by an immune response that clears the virus. Therefore, the defining characteristic of latency and the potential for reactivation is a hallmark of the Herpesviridae family.