Bacterial wilt is a complex of diseases that occur in plants such as Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae (tomato, common bean,[1][2] etc.)

Bacterial wilts of tomato, Capsicum (pepper), Solanum ovigerum (eggplant), and Irish potato can be caused by (Burkholderiaceae) Ralstonia solanacearum.

The beetles acquire E. tracheiphila by feeding on infected plants, then carry the bacteria in their digestive tracts.

When a plant is infected, E. tracheiphila multiplies within the xylem, eventually causing mechanical blockage of the water transport system.

The first sign of infection, which appears about five days after acquisition, is the wilting of individual leaves on a single stem.