ZYMV was first discovered in 1973 in northern Italy and has since appeared in southern France, Spain, Israel, Morocco, Germany, northeast U.S., and most recently Florida.

Spreads in Algeria, Australia, Egypt, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritius, Morocco, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, the UK, and the USA.

The natural host range of ZYMV is Cucurbita pepo (zucchini squash), Cucumis melo (muskmelon), Cucumis sativus (cucumber) and Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) where it causes mosaic, yellowing, shoestring leaves, stunting, and fruit and seed deformation. In Melothria pendula it causes mosaic and yellowing.  It is transmitted by mechanical inoculation by an insect vector, Aphis citricola, Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Aphis middletonii, Aphis craccivora, Acrythosiphon pisum, Lipaphis erysimi and Uroleucon sp.