The cause of the potato tuber spindle disease appears to be caused by a tiny viroid which exists inside of a cell, and usually within the nucleus. These tiny viroids are difficult to discover. They leave very few traces.

Viroids are related to viruses, but are a more primitive lifeform containing only a nucleic acid without any proteins. Some viroids are known to cause some plant diseases. In 1971 a plant pathologist searching for a virus that caused a potato disease discovered molecules that have been named viroids. Viroids appear capable of reproduction.

e have lumped all the virus like lifeforms herein, as science is still working on the taxonomy tree in this area.

Viruses are the most primitive of lifeforms. These organisms are usually too small to be seen by typical microscopes. Viruses are composed of a acid nucleus and some proteins. These organisms need to invade a living cell of a host in order to grow and reproduce. Several well known diseases are caused by viruses including Hepatitis, HIV, Mumps, Influenze, Rabies, and Yellow Fever.

There are several even more primitive virus like creatures that include viroids and prions. (Viroids can cause some plant health issues, and Prions can cause the mad cow disease.)

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