A DNA virus is a virus that has DNA as its genetic material and does not use an RNA intermediate during replication. Viruses that either have RNA as their genetic material or use an RNA intermediate during replication are called RNA viruses. The DNA can either be single- (ssDNA) or double-stranded (dsDNA), the latter being more common.

Single-stranded DNA is usually expanded to double-stranded in infected cells.

See also

• Mimivirus
• RNA virus
• Virus classification