Maybe this happens more frequently than I realize, but I have never heard of a virus spreading like that. My guess is that all the plants were virus-infected when you got them and the virus simply became evident after a period of time. I don't know much about viruses though. Experts have told me that in their opinion, every single orchid that has been grown over more than a couple of decades will be infected. But they also said that the vast majority will never show signs/symptoms of the infection, not in the leaves or in the flowers. Those that study Plumeria at the University of Hawaii say pretty much the same. Viruses are present but seldom evident.
Lindsey and perhaps Jim, Ursula, and others who have grown and shown orchids for quite a long time may know whether this is true or not. As far as I know, of the thousands of orchids entered in AOS sanctioned shows each and every year, no virus testing is done - ever. That seems to tell me that even our AOS is not overly concerned about viruses.
You have only given me another reason NOT to grow Phalaenopsis. I find them particularly sensitive to all kinds of problems, particularly the "standard" growers. I do grow some compact ones but that's just because I like to mount them.
