“Morse code streaking” where the infected cells die and are lighter in color, causing irregular spots and dashes on the leaves that are easier to see when the waxy coating over the petiole is rubbed away. Distribution BBTV is a widespread disease in the tropics, and is present in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Oceania including most of the South Pacific islands and Hawaii, Pakistan (first found 1988, first identified 1991 or 1992), East Asia, parts of India, and is invading Africa . It is especially problematic in East Asia, Oceania, and Hawaii. It was first observed in Hawaii in 1989, and is now widespread on Oahu, in the Kona area, and on Kauai. The disease is currently not present in Central or South America. The pathogen is not present everywhere bananas are grown, but is present in most areas where the vector is also present. These aphids are most likely native to Southeast Asia, but they are present in most areas in the tropics, and almost everywhere bananas are grown. BBTV is spread to new areas by poor agricultural practices, and can be transmitted on plant material from the family Musaceae, the virus' host. Disease cycle BBTV is the sole member of the genus Babuvirus in the family Nanoviridae. The genome of BBTV is made up of at least six circular, single-stranded DNA components, each about 1 kilo-base pair in length. Replication takes place by rolling circle replication, a unidirectional nucleic acid replication that can result in rapid synthesis of single-strands of DNA. There are specific virus-like particles that have been proposed as the virions of BBTV but there are still discrepancies in the scientific world about the exact relationship between these virions and the single-stranded DNA virus. Nevertheless, it was demonstrated that the associated ssDNA molecules are transmitted with the disease and therefore are designated as the pathogen. It is known that Banana aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa) transmits the virus from infected to healthy plants by feeding. Aphids feed on the plant phloem tissues by injecting their thin, flexible stylet into the epidermis of the plant tissue until it reaches the phloem of the leaves. Then the aphid injects saliva and sucks the cell contents. This ingestion of viral components is done inadvertently by the aphid. Vector transmission of the BBTV is circulative and non-propagative, meaning that transmission of the virus occurs from and to the phloem tissues and