Abstract: We isolated from the smoky brown cockroach Periplaneta fuliqinosa a densonu cleosis virus (pfDNV) in 1990 and conducted back infection experiments according to Koch's hypothesis. The results of our study showed that the virus isolated from the dead cockroach could cause the same disease symptoms of other individuals of the same species from which the same virus could be isolated. The biophysical and biochemical properties of the virus were characterized. Purified viron is icosahedral spheroid and 20nm in diameter. Its nucleic acid is linear ssDNA with length 1.7/μmand molecular weight 1.7 X 10⁶ dalton. The structural protein is composed of 4 kinds of peptide with molecular weights 81K, 62K, 53K and 29K. According to the viral taxonomic principle, this virus belongs to densovirus in Parvoviridae. We nameit Periplaneta fuliqinosa densonucleosis virus or pfDNV. This virus might have potential value for control of the cockroach.

Key words: Periplaneta fuliqinosa——densovirus