Urgent Virus Question

[BrassavolaStars]

Hello All,

I have an urgent question about how contagious CymMV is.

Someone who should never be around plants somehow manged to knock over a cattleya onto a phal with confirmed CymMV.

There was no fall. What happend was a tip-over onto a plant at equal height. They were both on the same level surface. I am not sure they even they touched but supposing they did, is my cattleya going to become infected?

I fully doused it in 2tsp per gallon of physan immediately and I did not see nay place where any leaf would have broken on either plant That said, the virus plant did have a piece out of it where I tested it a while ago. I am very upset now.

I know virused plants should be separate but these weren't even supposed to be near each other and I am not sure how they even came to be within tipover distance of each other. Should I be concerned at all?

---------- Post added at 11:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 PM ----------

Now that I think about it, the uninfected cattleya had a dying flower spike on it and also a bit of damage on one of the leaves in the form of some kind of split. Could this make an entrance area for viruses in incidental contact.

[philiplowrey]

if no fluid was exchanged you should be fine

[BrassavolaStars]

Originally Posted by philiplowrey

if no fluid was exchanged you should be fine

I did not notice any fluid exchange but I am so worried now. My concern is that in that slight jostleing (not that I am even sure they touched as it happened so fast) something could have been transferred. Would I have killed any possible transmission by immediately spraying (Physan) the plant?

[SouthPark]

Don't worry too much about it. I grow a Ctt. Porcia 'Cannizaro' and it is right next to all my other orchids.

There's supposed to be a high probability that the 'Cannizaro' has a virus. The leaves don't touch the other plants though. And I don't splash water between leaves. Insects are certainly around in the growing area. But I won't get stressed about it.

I'm thinking that virus can have a hard time surviving (themselves). I just don't touch the orchids if I don't need to. And use sterile/clean cutting tools whenever we do use them. No sharing of water etc.

[BrassavolaStars]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Don't worry too much about it. I grow a Ctt. Porcia 'Cannizaro' and it is right next to all my other orchids.

There's supposed to be a high probability that the 'Cannizaro' has a virus. The leaves don't touch the other plants though. And I don't splash water between leaves. Insects are certainly around in the growing area. But I won't get stressed about it.

I'm thinking that virus can have a hard time surviving (themselves). I just don't touch the orchids if I don't need to. And use sterile/clean cutting tools whenever we do use them. No sharing of water etc.

I am just concerned my cattleya could have been infected when it possibly tipped onto the definitively infected phal.

I really do not know much about how contagious CymMV is. I did not see any fluids or anything. I am worried about some kind of leaf tear I did not notice though or the surface of the infected plant contacting a damage on the healthy plant or the old spike on the healthy plant.

I did spay copiously with physan after though. It was one of those dominoes types of tumbles. No height or anything. Just a tip over for a half a second where the two may have touched leaves.

[SouthPark]

What you can do is ..... just isolate both plants ------ and then wait for a few weeks or a couple of months, and test the catt. If all-clear, then good to go.

But even if not all-clear (it's ok!) ...... can usually get another one.

[MJG]

I agree, if there was no fluid exchange it should be ok.

You mentioned the virused phal had a piece out of it that you tested a while ago. Has the wound dried out by now, so that it's more like a scar? If so, it wouldn't be oozing fluid anymore.

You also mention a split in the leaf of the catt. Had that dried out also?

If the answer is yes they were healed, that should give you piece of mind. Add to that, that you're not positive they touched at all.

This seems low risk to me. You probably know me as someone who takes viruses seriously, and tests every plant i own. I can really related to how you're feeling. I am sorry.

But like I said, this seems low risk. Put the virused phal back in isolation. If you're still worried about the catt, put him in a time out. In a couple of months test your catt and you'll know for sure, and then release him from his time out.

I hope and suspect this with have a happy outcome.

[BrassavolaStars]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

What you can do is ..... just isolate both plants ------ and then wait for a few weeks or a couple of months, and test the catt. If all-clear, then good to go.

But even if not all-clear (it's ok!) ...... can usually get another one.

The Cattleya in question is a hybrid that isn't likely replaceable. That said, what do you think are my chances of infection from incidental leaf contact then dousing with physan?

---------- Post added at 12:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 AM ----------

Originally Posted by MJG

I agree, if there was no fluid exchange it should be ok.

You mentioned the virused phal had a piece out of it that you tested a while ago. Has the wound dried out by now, so that it's more like a scar? If so, it wouldn't be oozing fluid anymore.

You also mention a split in the leaf of the catt. Had that dried out also?

If the answer is yes they were healed, that should give you piece of mind. Add to that, that you're not positive they touched at all.

This seems low risk to me. You probably know me as someone two takes viruses seriously, and tests every plant i own. I can really related to how you're feeling. I am sorry.

But like I said, this seems low risk. Put the virused paph back in isolation. If you're still worried about the catt, put him in a time out. In a couple of months test your catt and you'll know for sure, and then release him from his time out.

I hope and suspect this with have a happy outcome.

I think the phal is dried out. It was about 10 days ago the sample was taken. I don't know how long they take to dry. The cattleya had a spike though where a flower came off a few days ago though.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by BrassavolaStars

The Cattleya in question is a hybrid that isn't likely replaceable. That said, what do you think are my chances of infection from incidental leaf contact then dousing with physan?

Very small - probably negligible chance that any issue occurred. If you used physan, then you likely stamped out any chance of any virus getting into the orchid later (if any).

This will likely pan out well. Just isolate the catt anyway ----- or just give it a little space from other plants. But don't consider it to be infected. It is probably not infected at all. Just test it a few times after waiting for long enough. If you get the green light (ie. good news) a few times ----- no problem!

[Roberta]

I doubt very much that the short, casual contact would spread virus. Plant viruses are just not all that contagious. The individual who has done all the work with evaluating the virus tests, etc. (he is a biochemist who owns a company that does immunoassay work, so he knows something - a whole lot - about the field) did a study with some seedlings... actually TRIED to infect them... and after several years, they're still negative. I really think that you can relax.