The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

meme plague
 n.

    The spread of a successful but pernicious meme, esp. one that parasitizes
    the victims into giving their all to propagate it. Astrology, BASIC, and
    the other guy's religion are often considered to be examples. This usage is
    given point by the historical fact that ?joiner? ideologies like Naziism or
    various forms of millennarian Christianity have exhibited plague-like
    cycles of exponential growth followed by collapses to small reservoir
    populations.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

meme plague

    The spread of a successful but pernicious meme,
   especially one that parasitises the victims into giving their
   all to propagate it.  Astrology, BASIC, and the other guy's
   religion are often considered to be examples.  This usage is
   given point by the historical fact that "joiner" ideologies
   like Naziism or various forms of millennarian Christianity
   have exhibited plague-like cycles of exponential growth
   followed by collapses to small reservoir populations.

   [Jargon File]

   (1996-08-11)