This Week in Virology

Vincent Racaniello

4.8 (2K)
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.

5 DAYS AGO

HPV or not to B

TWiV reviews a facility accident that killed monkeys, new bird blu genotype found in Nevada dairy cattle, Argentina plans to leave WHO, yellow fever on the rise, dynamics of HPV infections in women, and Epstein-Barr virus protein targets B cell receptor for degradation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Angela Mingarelli Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV ASV 2025 Accident kills monkeys at SC research supply facility (Science) D1.1 Genotype in Dairy Cattle in Nevada (APHIS) Argentina to leave WHO (CIDRAP) Yellow fever on the rise (CIDRAP) HPV dynamics in women (PLoS Biol) EBV protein degrades B cell receptor (PNAS) Letters read on TWiV 1193 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Weekly Picks Angela – Mitochondrial swap from cancer to immune cells thwarts anti-tumour defences (one, two) Alan – A little adventure game Vincent – The Staggering Success of Vaccines Listener Picks John – Percy Lavon Julian Debi – Don’t Look Up 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
6 DAYS AGO

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss confirmation of Robert F Kennedy as HHS sectary, mpox, Ebola, how the American people support vaccine development and administration, the measles outbreak in the US-Texas, Georgia and influenza: the number of human infections, high avian flu in mammals, house cats and dairy cows before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, an update of Paxlovid administration provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, how long COVID varies between children and adults and if viral infection reduces telomere length in sperm. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Confirmation of RFK, Jr as HHS sect (NY Times) Did you know mpox in NY?….(Reuters) Mpox in sex workers in the Congo and in NY (CIDRAP) 9 confirmed, 265 suspected Ebola cases in Uganda (AP news) WHAT!? Support vaccines: availability and development. WHAT? (Businesswire) Measles rising in the unvaccinated. You mean the vaccines does something positive? (ABC News) Measles in Texas….go big or go home (Texas Health and Human Services) Vaccination Conscientious exemptions in Texas (Texas Health and Human Services) 2, 6, 14 measles hospitalizations in Texas (CNN) Decreases in childhood vaccinations SchoolVaxView(CDC) 2 when 24 cases of measles in two weeks (Texas Health and Human Services) Measles in small town Texas (NY Times) Measles in the US Texas, Georgia, Rhode Island, New York, New Mexico: Elimination of measles (JID) Influenza taxonomy (NCBI) H5N9 in commercial duck farm, California (American Animal Hospital Association) Second type of bird flu circulating in ducks (Scientific Amercia) Variant H1N2 flu in Iowa (CIDRAP) All types of influenza (CDC Influenza) Bird flu in the zoos: Bronx and Queens (Gothamist) High path avian influenza in mammals (USDA: Animal and plant health inspection service) Bird flu in house cats…..I tawt I taw a puddy tat (KFF Health News) New strain of influenza in dairy cows (AP News) Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) How the communications pause endangered us about influenza (AP News) Most intense flu season in 15 years (AP News)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) Weekly US influenza surveillance report (CDC FluView) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) 10 year surveillance of RSV hospitalization in adults(JID) Seasonality of RSV: 2017-2023(CDC: MMWR) What doctors wish patients know about RSV (AMA) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) 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) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Paxlovid update (Pfizer) 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) 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) Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) The answers: Long COVID Proportion of Long COVID incidence in adults and children (CID) SARS-CoV-2 infection effects sperm telomere length (Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics) Pediatric gastrointestinal tract outcomes during the postacute phase of COVID-19c]\ (JAMA Network) Letters read on TWiV 1192 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

44 min
FEB 9

The pandemic duo

TWiV reviews freezes and unfreezes of US government grants, how prior COVID-19 vaccination prevents over-reaction of the innate immune response during infections, and how bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Alan Dove Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV ASV 2025 NIH freezes (ScienceAdviser) Is your research on Trump’s hit list? (ScienceInsider) Prior COVID-19 vaccination tames innate responses (Sci Transl Med) Bat genomes illuminate viral tolerance and disease resistance (Nature) Letters read on TWiV 1191 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Weekly Picks Alan – NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center dashboards Vincent – He created a hummingbird paradise in his backyard Listener Picks Christiane – Contact your members of Congress about the Pause in Federal Grant Funding Charles – What’s trending in the world of pseudoscience 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
FEB 8

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss changes in access to public health information and aid mechanisms such as the return of MMWR, the largest tuberculosis outbreak in the US ever, lack of USAID in fighting Marburg and Ebola outbreaks in Africa, discussing if avian influenza virus is airborne, how eggs are effected and the emergence of second spillover into dairy cattle, how the difference between nOPV2 and Sabin OPV2 is a minor reduction in the association of vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, an update of Paxlovid administration provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, how children may be affected by long COVID and if SARS-CoV-2 and other inflammatory syndromes increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode The return of MMWR (CDC) Largest tuberculosis outbreak ever in the US (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) Marburg virus outbreak in Tanzania (Doctors without borders) No USAID, Ebola outbreak in Uganda spreads (CBS News) WHO accelerates efforts to Ebola response in Uganda (WHO: Uganda) Global partners enable access to vaccine and treatment for Ebola outbreak in Uganda (WHO) Ventilation and respiratory viruses (CDC National Institute for Occupational safety and health) Is bird flu flying through the air…..is the virus literally airborne? (NY Times) Is bird flu like measles (American Journal of Epidemiology) Indoor safety guideline (Herokuapp) Dairy herds in Nevada have influenza! (CIDRAP) Do your eggs have H5N1? (NY Times) New genotye D1.1 of avian flu in dairy cattle(USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) Second spillover of avian flu into dairy cattle….does this story sound familiar? (CIDRAP) Impact of using nOPV2 in mass vaccination campaigns? (JID) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) As flu increases so do deaths in kids (CIDRAP) People most impacted by respiratory viruses (CDC) Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A/B (BMC Infectious Diseases) Oseltamivir reduces 30-Day mortality in older adults with Influenza (OFID) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) 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) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Paxlovid update (Pfizer) 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) 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) 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 Recovery Program with Zara Dureno, BA, MOT Long COVID pevalence and associated activity limitation in US children (JAMA Pediatrics) Plasma proteomic evidence for increased β-amyloid pathology after SARS-CoV-2 infection (Nature Medicine) Letters read on TWiV 1190 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

47 min
FEB 2

Viruses making waves

TWiV notes the HHS communication pause, and describes research showing that rotavirus viroporin activity is necessary for intracellular calcium signals that contribute to viral pathogenesis, and control of human orthrflavivirus vaccine challenge by T cells in the absence of neutralizing antibodies. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV ASV 2025 Rotavirus viroporin activity, calcium waves, and pathogenesis (Sci Adv) T cells control human orthoflavivirus challenge (Nat Micro) Letters read on TWiV 1189 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – The Perfect Cacio e Pepe Recipe, According to Science (primary article here) Kathy – Dragonflies Loop-the-Loop Alan – My Beloved Monster, by Caleb Carr Vincent – Why Did the FDA Ban Red Dye #3 Listener Picks Anne – Japan’s 65-Foot Towering Snow Walls 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 33m
FEB 1

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss changes in access to public health information, the Marburg and Ebola outbreaks in Africa, the largest tuberculosis outbreak in the US ever, the politicization of polio vaccine campaigns in Pakistan, effect of high pathogenic influenza in animals and on the economy before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, trials and devices to relieve some neurological complications of long COVID and the ramifications of long COVID in children, healthcare workers and adults. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode No morbidity and mortality in the US this week? (NPR) More support for Marburg outbreak in Tanzania (Reliefweb) Tanzania confirming second Marburg case (CIDRAP) Norovirus mRNA vaccine …..hmmmm? (moderna) What is noronvirus? (modernatx) Largest tuberculosis outbreak ever in the US (Reuters) Ebola outbreak in DRC during US:WHO strain (STAT News) Uganda Ebola outbreak…..1 dead (Reuters) Polio outside endemic zone due to militants? (Washington Post) Mpox vaccination initiation in central Africa (CIDRAP) Preparing rapid response to emerging infectious disease in Africa (PANTHER Health) Mpox therapeutic study MOSA enrollment begins (Africa CDC) Halting of US foreign aid for health programs…..not in the US best interests? (NY Times) No PEPFAR (NY Times) PEPFAR (US Department of State) PEPFAR…..still not America first? Really? (CIDRAP) Resurgence of infections globally may affect US…..what is global health? (NY Times) Milk testing for H5N1….but I thought raw milk was the only healthy milk? (USDA) How do you like your $10.99 dozen of eggs? (NY Times) Farm outbreak of H5N1 (AP News) US- high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (World Organization for Animal Health) H5N9 high pathogenic flu in duck farm California (CIDRAP) More egg issues (CIDRAP) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Respiratory syncytial virus vaccine effectiveness among US veterans, September, 2023 to March, 2024 (LANCET Infectious Diseases) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) 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) 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 Recovery Program with Zara Dureno, BA, MOT The current and future burden of long COVID in the United States (JID) Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation improves Long COVID symptoms in a female cohort (Frontiers in Neurology) Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation trials: https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials/tvns-in-long-covid-19 https://www.centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/NCT06585254/tvns-in-long-covid-19 Devices: https://pulsetto.tech/products/meet-pulsetto?pulsetto_offer_id=57&transaction_id=1024e5a0258b6647e262ba8fec5d62 https://www.dolphinmps.com/product/dolphin-neurostim-professional-single-kit-vagal-stim-kit/ Distinct pro-inflammatory/pro-angiogenetic signatures distinguish children with Long COVID from controls (Pediatric Research) Persistent symptoms and clinical findings in adults with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/post-COVID-19 syndrome in the second year after acute infection(PLoS Medicine) SARS-COV-2 re-infection and incidence of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) among essential workers in New York (LANCET: Regional Health Americas) Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the incidence and prevalence of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (EHJ-QCCO European Heart Journal-Quality of Care & Clinical Outcomes) Letters read on TWiV 1188 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

48 min
JAN 26

The tau of herpesvirus

TWiV explains a new blood test for head and neck cancer, Japanese regulators approve tecovirimat for mpox, an entry receptor for enterovirus D68, and anti-herpetic tau preserves neurons via a DNA sensing pathway in Alzheimer’s disease. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, Brianne Barker, and Angela Mingarelli Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV ASV 2025 Entry receptor for EV-D68 (Cell Host Microbe) Anti-herpetic tau preserves neurons in Alzheimers (Cell Rep) Letters read on TWiV 1187 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Weekly Picks Angela – Good genes are nice, but joy is better Brianne – Beaker Hair Clip Kathy – Pareidolia explained by street artist David Zinn TEDx talk Also visit zinnart.com Alan – Screwworm is coming back in the Americas Vincent – Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Was Nice to Someone During a Debate. That Doesn’t Erase the Consequences of His Misinformation Listener Picks Sarah – The Extremophile Campaign: In Your Home (ECIYH) citizen science 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 57m
JAN 25

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and co-host Vincent Racaniello lament about the public changes from withdrawing from the WHO to health and scientific communication pauses by the Trump Administration after a brief discussion of Marburg in Tanzania and mpox in England before reviewing cats and bird flu, the recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, and where to go for answers to your long COVID questions. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Tanzania confirms Marburg virus outbreak (Reuters) Clade Ib mpox in England (Reuters) Withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WhiteHouse) Fees costs behind withdrawing from WHO ….is that what we are suppose to believe? (Sky News) Sorry to see you go, US? (WHO) Where are the updates? (CDC Health Alert Network) Pause in health communications of all kind (Washington Post) NIH chaos…..streaming to a halt? (STAT News) Devastation at the NIH, hiring traveling, meetings, communications(Science) Protect your cat from bird flu (NPR) No communication and cats with bird flu….does not sound good (CIDRAP) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) Baloxavir marboxil for prophylatix against influenza(NEJM) Comparative effectiveness of baloxavir marboxil and oseltamir treatment for reducint household transmission of influenza (Influenza and other respiratory viruses) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Host-microbe multiomic profiling identifies distinct COVD-19 immune dysregulation in solid organ transplant recipients (Nature Communications) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) 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 and safety of oral azvudine versus nirmatrelvir‒ritonavir (Paxlovid) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy) 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) 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 Recovery Program with Zara Dureno, BA, MOT Letters read on TWiV 1186 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

47 min

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4.8

out of 5

2,005 Ratings

Spread of microbes by leaf blowers

11/17/2024

podcast7

This week, not for the first, time I listened to your mini rants about the noise of leaf blowers, but have you considered the potential for these damnable devices to spread dangerous microbes in addition to the health harming noise and 2.5 particulate both from the inefficient engines and the material being blown? Consider the composition of the vast amounts of particulate and how much is from sources such as fecal mater. Studies show this stuff remains in the air up to 3 days. Speaking of transferring h1 n1 from birds to pigs you say “if it gets in their snout”, is this a way that can happen? I would like to hear your thoughts on the potential spread of disease by these machines. I live in a condo development surrounded by more of same and the lawn maintenance contractors employ them nearly all day everyday.
Yuk.

Jan 25

seesaw70

Democrats who can’t let go.
Thank you!

08/23/2024

ALittleChaotic

The 16 August 2024 episode really helped us with a new case, in the family home, of COVID-19. The recent Long Covid episode was enlightening for a work situation. Just pressed pause and made another donation. TWIV is lifesaving.
Excellent episode on KATALYST for Ops Leaders

01/25/2024

ShawnCycle

I really liked a recent episode that described Katie’s KATALYST framework for Transformational leadership. It describes 8 competencies that Operational Excellence and other Transformational leaders should aspire to get better at. Many of these I found myself agreeing with during the episode and realized that I have focused on them without crystallizing them as Katies has done. I can see using this frame work to improve myself and as a coaching mechanism for my team and leaders that I coach. Clearly I might be biased since Katie also referred to our upcoming episode together, but I really liked this episode with that reference not with standing. I’m looking forward to how Katie connects and explores this topic in future episodes. If you’re newly looking into this podcast, I would highly recommend it to anyone trying to get better as a leader.