This Week in Virology

Vincent Racaniello

5.0 (2)
SCIENCE
UPDATED WEEKLY

TWiV is a weekly netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick. Professors Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and science writer Alan Dove and guests deconstruct viruses, how they cause illness, and dissect the latest research.

3 DAYS AGO

Can anyone hook me up with a duck?

TWiV travels to Brisbane, Australia for the Options XII for the control of influenza conference, and meets up with Stephanie Gras and Jenna Guthmiller to talk about their careers and their research. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, and Steph Langel Guests: Stephanie Gras and Jenna Guthmiller Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Goldilocks zone of influenza immunity (J Inf Dis) Broadly neutralizing HA antibodies (Nature) T cell epitopes needed for influenza vaccines (Clin Transl Immunol) T cell epitopes conserved in emerging H5N1 viruses (Clin Transl Immunol) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! 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.

54 min
4 DAYS AGO

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin briefly discusses the E.coli outbreak associated with onions from McDonald’s before deep diving into the announcement of Robert F Kennedy Jr. nomination for Secretary of Human and Health Services with highlights from MicrobeTV’s own Vincent Racaniello and Paul Offit (Beyond the Noise), the global measles outbreak, underutilization of influenza antivirals for children and teens, the $350 million 2025 order for mpox vaccination, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, the effectiveness of N95 mask, the interplay between transmission and immunity for virus spread, where to find PEMGARDA, and translational science being conducted to understand long COVID including ongoing clinical trials, development of animal models and how sex may affect outcomes. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Micky D’s onions linked to E. coli outbreak….another reason to not eat fast food (CDC) RFK Jr. series…..does he get anything right? (FactCheck.org) Salk polio vaccine : a calculated risk? (BMJ) How to conduct a controlled vaccine trial (American Journal Public Health Nations Health) Safety and efficacy of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (NEJM) Another Safety and efficacy study: mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (NEJM) …..SERIOUSLY! can’t RFK Jr get it correct? (FactCheck.org) ‘I’ve Come Home Today’: RFK Jr. (the Defenders Children’s Health Defense News & Views) Thank God for sensible people: Racaniello and Offit (microbeTV) RFK Jr. : MAN CAN’T YOU GET ANYTHING RIGHT? (Annenberg Public Policy Center: University of Pennsylvania) No harm in repeating Vinny! Thank God for sensible people: Racaniello and Offit (microbeTV) Did America think Trump-Kennedy through? …..really did you think this through? (microbeTV) Make American Healthy Again? ……I will have fries with that….SUPERSIZED! (Wall Street Journal) Keep the United States HEALTHY! (Safe Communities Coalition) Measles in the US (CDC Measles: Rubeola) The merry-go-around of measles (JID) It is a measles outbreak! (CDC Measles: Rubeola) 10.3 million measles infections in 2023….but no vaccine (WHO) Underutilization of influenza antiviral treatment among children and adolescents (CDC MMWR) Increase in influenza infection in children…..(CIDRAP) Influenza weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) $340 million doses of mpox vaccine ordered for 2025 (Reuters) Mpox in NYC (JID) Respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator use (JAMA Open Network) The Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Community Indoor Settings (JID) Lower levels of household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 VOC Omicron compared to Wild-type: an interplay between transmissibility and immune status (JID) Enhanced placental antibody transfer efficiency with longer interval between maternal RSV vaccination and birth (AJOG: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Fusion center near you….if in NY (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Perceptions and Barriers to Outpatient Antiviral Therapy for COVID-19 and Influenza as Observed by Infectious Disease Specialists (OFID) Drug–Drug Interactions with Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir(Infectious Diseases and Therapy) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Real-world effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and molnupiravir (CMI: Clinical Microbiology and Infection) Alleviation of COV

1h 3m
17 NOV

Virus cloak and entry

TWiV reveals a novel H5N1 reassortant virus in Cambodia, circulating vaccine derived poliovirus type 2 in more countries, circulation in the blood of humans of infectious parvovirus B19 coated with active proteases, and B cell receptor dependent enhancement of dengue virus infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server MicrobeTV Fundraiser Novel H5N1 in Cambodia (medRxiv) More cVDVP2 circulation (polioeradication.org) Infectious parvovirus B19 with proteases (Nat Comm) B cell receptor enhancement of dengue disease (PLoS Path) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – See How Many Lives Vaccines Have Saved Around the World based on Lancet study Dickson – 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Kathy – 450 Million year old arthropods preserved in fool’s gold. Primary article Pyrite video Vincent – ‘We need to be ready for a new world’: scientists globally react to Trump election win Listener Picks Jack – Coronavirus vaccine update 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 43m
16 NOV

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin apprises us about the first case of highly pathogenic influenza in Canda, children dying of influenza infection and novel genetic reassortments of the virus, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, number of mpox infections, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, how scientific mistrust has affected COVID-19 vaccine administration, resolution of the FDA hold on Novovax’s combination influenza and COVID vaccine, where to find PEMGARDA, how Paxlovid SAVES you money, when to use steroids to treat COVID-19 and how trace amounts of cytokines elicted during SARS-CoV-2 infection negatively impact cardiac function. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Bird flu flew into British Columbia Canada (Global News Canada) H5N1 in British Columbia (CIDRAP) Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza flies commercial and domestic (USDA) Countdown till the end of Marburg outbreak (WHO Rwanda) First kid’s death due to flu (CIDRAP) Influenza weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) H5N1 novel reassortments in migratory birds in China (Emerging Infectious Diseases) Serologic evidence of recent infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (MMWR) Seriously? 50,000 mpox cases in African outbreak (CIDRAP) Respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Science trust: behind COVID 19 vaccine acceptance (Vaccine X) Vaccine mistrust levels are not budging (Healthday) FDA clinical hold lifted on Novavax’s combination COVID-flu vaccine(Reuters) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Fusion center near you….if in NY (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Real-world effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and molnupiravir (CMI: Clinical Microbiology and Infection) Alleviation of COVID-19 Symptoms and Reduction in Healthcare Utilization Among High-Risk Patients Treated With Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir (CID) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Secondary bacterial infection follows COVID-19 (Nature Communications) Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 cardiovascular symptoms are associated with trace-level cytokines that affect cardiomyocyte function (Nature Medicine) Letters read on TWiV 1166 Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

46 min
10 NOV

What doesn't kill us primes our macrophages

TWiV notes the passing of virologist Diane Griffin, first H5N1 influenza virus in US pigs, Innate immune control of influenza virus interspecies adaptation via IFITM3, and antiviral trained innate immunity in alveolar macrophages after SARS-CoV-2 infection reduces secondary influenza A virus disease. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server MicrobeTV Fundraiser Diane Griffin passes (Johns Hopkins) Diane Griffin on TWiV 453 First H5N1 influenza virus in US pigs (CIDRAP) IFITM3 controls interspecies influenza virus infection (Nat Comm) Trained innate immunity by alveolar macrophages (Immunity) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Angela – See a giant ‘ghost particle’ detector and more — October’s best science images Brianne – October 27 APoD: Bat nebula Dickson – Nikon Small World Contest 2024 winners Kathy – AAAS 150th anniversary video, celebrating scientists and Pew’s 2024 annual Trust in Science survey findings Rich – Cats Basically Are a Liquid After All, Study Confirms Alan – HHMI’s Beautiful Biology site Vincent – EcoHealth Alliance Fights Back Listener Picks Hunter – Don’t stop me now: Queen’s Brian May on saving badgers — and the scientific method Anne – Reasons to be cheerful 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 45m
9 NOV

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin informs us about the World Health Organization research and development plan to combat endemic pathogens including hepatitis C virus, RSV and dengue virus, another case of mpox in Britian, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, if there is a benefit to additional COVID vaccinations after the initial series, ISDA guideline for using anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody therapy for prophylaxis, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, if and how do severe secondary bacterial infections develop following SARS-CoV-2 infection, and if COVID-19 associates with a risk of autoimmune and autoinflammatory connective tissue disorders. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Is the WHO the world’s NIH: endemic pathogens initiative (eBioMedicine) Another two cases of mpox in Britian (Reuters) How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Marburg Virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Influenza weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) RSV NETwork (CDC RSV) Respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Symptom reduction after additional vaccine dose during Omicron (OFID) IDSA Guideline update for SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody pemivibart pre-exposure prophylaxis (CID) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Fusion center near you….if in NY (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Secondary bacterial infection follows COVID-19 (Nature Communications) Daniel Griffin’s evidence-based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Autoimmune and autoinflammatory connective tissue disorders following COVID-19 (JAMA Dermatology) Letters read on TWiV 1164 Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

41 min
3 NOV

Hepadnaviridae in the heartland

From the 2024 International Hepatitis B virus meeting in Chicago, TWiV speaks with Mala Maini and John Tavis about their careers, the replication and transmission of HBV, and the HBV Foundation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit Guests: Mala Maini and John Tavis Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Immunobiology and pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus infection (Nat Rev Immunol) HBV Foundationhttps://www.hepb.org/ Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! 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.

57 min
2 NOV

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin informs us about “walking pneumonia”, the phase of the polio supplemental immunization campaign in Gaza, mpox circulation, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, the beginning of influenza season, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, contrasting public health concerns between the US and the UK, if mRNA boosters affect mucosal immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, if antiviral therapy prevents long COVID and viral sequalae in healthy young marines. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections increasing (CDC) Polio vaccination campaign restarts (Reuters) North Gaza polio campaign postponed (Reuters) 1St clade 1b mpox in UK (GOV.UK) UK imports mpox (CIDRAP) Clinical trial of MVA-BN for children (Bavarian-Nordic) How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Marburg Virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Laboratory confirmed influenza associated hospitalizations 2010-2023 (CDC) Influenza weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) Mucosal nirsevimab levels in breakthrough bronchiolitis (LANCET Infectious Diseases) RSV NETwork (CDC RSV) Respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) UK public health data tracker (UKHSA) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Repeat COVID-19 mRNA vaccination contributes to mucosa immunity (Science Translational Medicine) XBB.1.5 mRNA booster vaccination limited mucosal immunity (Science Translational Medicine) I repeat: COVID mRNA booster vaccinations suboptimal respiratory mucosal immunity (Science Translational Medicie) Facial Palsy after COVID-19 vaccination? (Emerging Infectious Diseases) New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA) IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Fusion center near you….if in NY (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Viral and symptom rebound following monoclonal antibody therapy (JID) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir reduces COVID-19 hospitalization and prevents long COVID (Scientific Reports) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) Time to Sustained Recovery Among Outpatients With COVID-19 Receiving Montelukast vs Placebo (JAMA Network Open) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Clinical and functional assessment of SARS-CoV-2 sequelae among young marines (LANCET: Regional Health Americas) Letters read on TWiV 1162 Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

48 min

See All (104)

out of 5

2 Ratings

If you love science

24/02/2011

Jill_Ch

You will love this podcast. I am not even in the field of science but this podcast is very interesting, one of my favorites. Viruses affect us all and listening to this you can get answers to why and how viruses do what they do. Also enjoy listener email, recommended books, exciting news about science, etc. Excellent.