Viral inclusion bodies isolated from infected pest insects are being
evaluated by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture as biological insecticides
against their hosts. Our research on these inclusion bodies constitutes part
of an effort to support their approval by the Environmental Protection
Agency as insect control agents.
The inclusion bodies in this study are polyhedral in shape and contain
rod-shaped viral particles. When ingested by pest insects, the inclusion
bodies are broken down in the insect gut and release the viral particles
which infect and multiply in the nuclei of host cells. These viruses are
termed nucleopolyhedrosis viruses (NPV) and are representatives of the
baculoviruses (Wildy, P. 1971 IN J.L. Melnick, ed., Monographs in Virology,
vol. 5, S.Karger, New York).
