This Week in Virology

Vincent Racaniello

TWiV is a weekly netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick. Brought to you by four university professors and a science writer.

  1. 16H AGO

    Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are bewildered and dismayed by RFK Jr's announced changes in the routine childhood immunization schedule, though not unpredicted, and highlight the science and evidence which eviscerate these changes, then deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic- in particular in South Carolina, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, estimated societal burden of COVID-19 illness, deaths and hospitalizations, benefit of maternal COVID-19 vaccination, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero SARS-CoV-2 infection and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Childhood Immunization Schedule by Recommendation Group (US Health and Human Service) Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for Ages 18 Years or Younger (American Academy of Pediatrics) Kennedy Scales Back the Number of Vaccines Recommended for Children (NY Times) There RFK Jr. Goes Again . . .(Wall Street Journal) Hepatitis B Vaccination is an Essential Safety Net for Newborns (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) Effectiveness and Impact of Maternal RSV Immunization and Nirsevimab on Medically Attended RSV in US Children (JAMA Pediatrics) Rotavirus (College of Physicians of Philadelphia) Hepatitis A in the Era of Vaccination (Epidemiologic Reviews) Meningococcal Vaccination in the United States: Past, Present, And Future (Ped Drugs) Meningococcal Vaccination: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2020 (CDC: MMWR) N.Y. DOH says childhood vaccine recommendations remain unchanged despite CDC's update (Spectrum 1 News) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins) South Carolina measles cases rise by 26 to 211, state health department says (Reuters) Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg) Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) Measles (WHO) Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC) Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM) Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts(ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America) Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine) Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season (FDA) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV)) Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) Estimated Burden of COVID-19 Illnesses, Medical Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths in the US From October 2022 to September 2024 (JAMA Internal Medicine) The Role of Vaccination in Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes Associated With COVID-19 in Pregnancy (JAMA) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUAfor the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro) UnderstandingCoverageOptions (PAXCESS) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Anticoagulationguidelines (hematology.org) Daniel Griffin's evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) The answers: Long COVID The COVID generation: the neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero COVID-19 exposure (Brain, behavior and Immunity) Reaching out to US house representative Letters read on TWiV 1286 Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

    43 min
  2. 6D AGO

    Encapsidating viruses 2025

    TWiV reviews compelling virology themes for 2024, as heard in our 98 episodes, including 22 guests. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV ASV 2026 Dismantling of science and public health in the US including TWiV 1199, TWiV 1191, TWiV 1197, TWiV 1203, TWiV 1205 , TWiV 1209, TWiV 1211, TWiV 1215, TWiV 1217,  TWiV 1219, TWiV 1221, TWiV 1223, TWiV 1225, TWiV 1227, TWiV 1231, TWiV 1233, TWiV 1241, TWiV 1243,  TWiV 1245, TWiV 1285. Herpesviruses and dementia TWiV 1187, TWiV 1207, TWiV 1249, TWiV 1263, TWIV 1233 Hepatitis B, C TWiV 1213, TWIV 1237, Chari Cohen, Stephan Urban, Thomas Tu, TWiV 1279 POTW themes/highlights Dickson Despommier passes TWIV 1195, TWiP 254, YouTube excerpt, DDD Photography, 'Despommier's Parasitic Diseases' H5N1 in dairy cattle TWiV 1193, TWiV 1257, TWiV 1259 (goats), TWiV 1211 EBV and Lupus TWiV 1273 Vaccines TWiV 1209, TWiV 1265, TWiV 1267 Some classic papers TWIV 1241, TWiV 1273, TWiV 1275, TWiV 1279, TWiV 1269 Respiratory infections awaken dormant breast cancer cells TWiV 1243 Phages TWiV 1261, TWiV 1181 Letters read on TWiV 1285 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Weekly Picks Kathy – APOD for 1/1/2026; American Kestrals Put the Cherry on Top    Primary article (open access) Vincent – Science in Your Own Back Yard by Elizabeth Cooper Listener Picks Bill – They did the Monster Slash and Elle Cordova Rona – The married scientists torn apart by a COVID bioweapon theory Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

    1h 48m
  3. JAN 3

    Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    Recording after the ball drops, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello wish everyone a Happy New Year, discuss an evidence-based approach to teaching and practice medicine and reminisce on the history of vaccine development and use before their discussion about the whooping cough outbreak of 2025 in the US and falling levels of tetanus vaccination, then Dr. Griffin then deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, how NY state reported the greatest number of influenza confirmed infections ever in one week during the week ending Dec 20,  where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Evidence-Based Medicine: A New Approach to Teaching the Practice of Medicine (JAMA) The US has seen nearly 28,000 whooping cough cases this year. Here's what you need to know (CNN) Vaccine History: Developments by Year (CHOP, Children's hospital of Philadelphia: Vaccine History) Reported Incidence of notable diseases in United States: 1952 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 1, No. 54, October 26, 1953 (CDC: Stacks) As tetanus vaccination rates decline, doctors worry about rising case numbers (nbc News) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins) Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg) Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) Measles (WHO) Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC) Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM) Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts(ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America) Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine) Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) New York State Department of Health Confirms Most Flu Cases Ever Recorded in One Week: New York State Reports 71,123 Flu Cases This Week (NY State Department of Health) Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season (FDA) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV)) Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP) Nirsevimab vs RSVpreF Vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Related Hospitalization in Newborns (JAMA) RSV Immunization Frequently Asked Questions(American Academy of Pediatrics) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUAfor the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro) UnderstandingCoverageOptions (PAXCESS) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Anticoagulationguidelines (hematology.org) Daniel Griffin's evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) The answers: Long COVID Reaching out to US house representative Letters read on TWiV 1284 Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

    30 min
  4. 12/27/2025

    Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    Calling out "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good-night,  Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss high path influenza in dairy herds in Wisconsin and Marburg virus in Ethiopia before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, the slightly higher association of COVID-19 infection with death than following influenza infection, benefit of passive infant immunization with niresevimab, association of COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity protection against severe disease in vulnerable populations, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, effect of remdesivir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir on COVID-19 associated mortality, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Dairy Herd in Wisconsin (USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) Update: Genetic Sequencing Results for Wisconsin Dairy Herd Detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza(USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) Marburg Outbreak in Ethiopia: Current Situation (CDC: Marburg Virus Disease) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins) Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg) Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) Measles (WHO) Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles(CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC) Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM) Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts (ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America) Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine) Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) USrespiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) In call with clinicians, CDC recommends flu vaccines widely(CIDRAP) Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season (FDA) Increased 30-day Mortality Risk in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Compared to Seasonal Influenza (International Journal of Infectious Diseases) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health) USrespiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV)) Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP) Nirsevimab vs RSVpreF Vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Related Hospitalization in Newborns (JAMA) RSV Immunization Frequently Asked Questions(American Academy of Pediatrics) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV) Association between COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity and protection against infection and severe disease in clinically vulnerable patient populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies (Clinical Microbiology and Infection) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUAfor the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro) Understanding Coverage Options (PAXCESS) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) The effect of remdesivir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir on mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the Omicron era: an emulated target trial (Clinical Microbiology and Infection) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Anticoagulationguidelines (hematology.org) Daniel Griffin's evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) The answers: Long COVID Long-COVID research just got a big funding boost: will it find new treatments? (Nature) Reaching out to US house representative Letters read on TWiV 1282 Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

    43 min
  5. 12/20/2025

    Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello protest Vinjay Prasad, head of CBER FDA Nov memo stating administration of the COVID-19 vaccine resulted in 10 children's deaths, but are cautiously delighted by the December memo from those in CBER who dispute this data-less claim, how in 31 states pertussis vaccination rates have declined before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, of clinical outcomes of oseltamivir versus baloxavir for treating influenza infection, number deaths associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations and disease associated economic burden, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, how the German government is committed to research into long COVID and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Industry laments Prasad vaccine memo (Politico) Scoop: FDA vaccine chief's memo cited 10 pediatric Covid-19 vaccine deaths—but the agency's own analysis found 0–7 (Inside Medicine) Whooping cough cases soar as vaccination rates drop (NBC News) Marburg Outbreak in Ethiopia: Current Situation (CDC: Marburg Virus Disease) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins) Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg) Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) Measles (WHO) Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles(CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC) Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM) Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts (ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America) Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine) Hundreds quarantined as South Carolina measles outbreak accelerates (Washington Post) Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) USrespiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) In call with clinicians, CDC recommends flu vaccines widely (CIDRAP) Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season (FDA) Comparison of clinical outcomes of oseltamivir versus baloxavir in outpatients with influenza: a retrospective cohort analysis (International Journal of Infectious Diseases) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health) USrespiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV)) Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV) Effectiveness of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccines in Children in the United States — VISION, August 29, 2024–September 2, 2025 (CDC:MMWR) Mortality following recovery from COVID-19 hospitalization: A long-term cohort study (International Journal of Infectious Diseases) COVID hospitalization tied to 69% higher risk of death for up to 2 years (CIDRAP) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUAfor the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro) Understanding Coverage Options (PAXCESS) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Comparison of work productivity losses in the United States among employees with COVID-19 at high-risk of severe disease who were untreated or treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Journal of Medical Economics) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Anticoagulationguidelines (hematology.org) Daniel Griffin's evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) The answers: Long COVID Long-COVID research just got a big funding boost: will it find new treatments?(Nature) Reaching out to US house representative Letters read on TWiV 1280 Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

    37 min
4.7
out of 5
209 Ratings

About

TWiV is a weekly netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick. Brought to you by four university professors and a science writer.

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