Final answer:
In latent infections, virions are only produced during reactivation periods and not constantly. Latent viruses remain dormant within the host cells with no active replication until triggered by factors such as stress.
Step-by-step explanation:
In latent infections, the virions are not constantly produced. Instead, these viruses can remain dormant within the host cells and do not produce new virions or cause symptoms. Examples of such viruses include herpes simplex viruses (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). During latency, the viral genetic material can exist as circular genomes outside of the host chromosome, or as proviruses integrated into the host genome.
Latent viruses may eventually leave latency, particularly during times of stress or immunosuppression, and reactivate, leading to the production of virions and symptoms of disease. This reactivation is the only period when new virions are produced during a latent infection.