Isolates of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) severely and systemically infecting commercial pepper cultivars with resistance introgressed from Capsicum chinense PI152225 were found in Albenga (northwestern Italy) in July 2000. Experimentally, these resistance-breaking (RB) isolates overcame the resistance in C. chinense PI152225, but they produced infection in other hosts similarly to non-RB isolates from the same area. The RB isolates were indistinguishable from TSWV by serology and electron microscopy, and they were efficiently transmitted by Frankliniella occidentalis. Such isolates were recovered on the same farm in tomato, pepper, and artichoke 2 and 12 months later, suggesting natural spread from the resistant plants and survival. The RB isolates survived in experimental mixed infections with a non-RB isolate in susceptible pepper and C. chinense, but cross-protection in pepper acted against them. Commercial TSWV-resistant pepper but not resistant tomato cultivars from different companies were susceptible to these RB isolates after mechanical inoculation. Similar isolates were not detected among TSWV samples collected from 1993 to 2000 in the area. The management of TSWV and thrips using resistant pepper cultivars is discussed.