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.

3 DAYS AGO

Holy Cow! Convergent evolution!

TWiV reviews nominees to head NIH, FDA, and CDC, cervical cancer decline following HPV vaccination, local dengue in Texas, human isolate of H5N1 virus is transmissible and virulent in animal models, and shared mechanisms of immune evasion among animal and bacterial viruses. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, Brianne Barker, and Jolene Ramsey Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Bhattacharya nominated to head NIH (Science) Makary nominated to head FDA (Science) Weldon nominated to head CDC (Chief Healthcare Exec) Cervical cancer declining following vaccination (JAMA Net) Local dengue case in Texas (Texas HHS) H5N1 human isolate transmissible and virulent (Nature) H5 current situation (CDC) Global H5N1 cases (Our World in Data) Conserved immune evasion in animal and bacterial viruses (Cell) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Pale Blue Pod Kathy – PhysicsGirl recent Instagram post, ScienceAdvisor signup free daily sci news distillation, Semi-conducting hydrogels, Bot that can pick up things with a soft touch, “Pigeonbot II”, a drone called LisRaptor, zapping forever chemicals like PFAS with light and here Rich – Vendee Globe Jolene – Center for the Improvement of Mentored Research Experiences Vincent – These two ancient human relatives crossed paths 1.5 million years ago 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 60m
4 DAYS AGO

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin summarizes influenza and RSV circulation in the US, the benefit of administering oseltamivir early and if influenza vaccination reduces secondary household infections, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, how 1st or 2nd trimester SARS-CoV-2 infections may shorten newborn telomeres, what are B1 cells, if IgG4 responses are critical for protection elicited by mRNA vaccines, if there is a difference in protection against the development of severe disease between an mRNA or a protein based vaccine, where to find PEMGARDA, if remdesivir reduces readmission of vulnerable patients once hospitalized for COVID-19, information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, if transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation ameliorates musculoskeletal pain and fatigue during long COVID, do antihistamines reduce post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection and how long can SARS-CoV-2 antigens be detected in blood. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Influenza weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Influenza vaccines protect against secondary infections in households (JAMA Network) Benefit of early oseltamivir therapy for influenza A (CID) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) 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) Maternal infection of SARS-CoV-2 during 1st and 2nd trimesters newborn telomere shortening (Journal of Translational Medicine) What is a B1 cell? (Wikipedia) Pre-COVID and post-COVID vaccination on long COVID (Journal of Infection) Delayed Induction of Noninflammatory SARS-CoV-2 Spike-Specific IgG4 Antibodies after BNT162b2 Vaccination in Children (The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal) Relative effectiveness of homologous NVX-CoV2373 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccinations in South Korea (Vaccine) Phase III trial results! Comparative efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines (BMC Infectious Diseases) 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) Remdesivir Effectiveness in Reducing the Risk of 30-day Readmission in Vulnerable Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19 (CID) Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for fibromyalgia-like syndrome in patients with Long-COVID(Scientific Reports) Mitigating the risks of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) with intranasal chlorpheniramine (BMC Infectious Diseases) Measurement of circulating viral antigens post-SARS-CoV-2 infection (CID) Letters read on TWiV 1172 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

38 min
DEC 1

The born immunity

TWiV reviews susceptibility to vaccine-preventable infections in asylum seekers, the economic power of vaccines, French university tries to bury its investigation of a faculty member’s ethical lapses, transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in New Zealand before and after COVID-19, and a germ line encoded antibody that recognizes a broad array of enveloped viruses. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Why RFK Jr is not suitable for HHS (YouTube) Write your Senators to oppose RFK Jr Support MicrobeTV ASV 2025 Susceptibility to infections in asylum seekers (NEJM) RSV hospitalization in adults (JAMA Net Open) Ethics failings at French university (Science) RSV transmission in New Zealand (Nat Commun) Glycan reactive IgM binds multiple viruses (SciImmunol) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Publication of Updated Human Cell Atlas Rich – Astroscale Alan – E3 ubiquitin ligase game, and an article about its origin Vincent – In the Quantum World, Even Points of View Are Uncertain Listener Pick Ryan – A Dangerous Moment 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 41m
NOV 30

Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin dives into H5N1/influenza and RSV circulation in the US, whether or not H5N1 is “adapting” for human-human transmission, why drinking raw milk may NOT be the best idea despite RFK Jr endorsement, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, how if I encounter no one I can infect no one, the efficacy of COVID-19 boosters, how vaccines are the ‘seat belt’ of public health, the results of two PLACEBO control studies assessing antiviral therapy for COVID-19, where to find PEMGARDA, susceptibility of neurological complications in young to middle-aged adults and how discussing the origins of the pandemic and rise of scientific harassment will allow you to avoid a political conversation around your Thanksgiving day table, the interplay between transmission and immunity for virus spread and who to call if you do get sick this holiday. Happy Thanksgiving! Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Influenza weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) In case you missed, US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Adaptation of H5N1 to humans…..sequence analysis (Nature) Favoring human transmission for H5N1 ?(Youtube: medcram) From 2022: unprecedented bird flu outbreaks sweeping the world…..and we are still talking about it? (Nature) What children get flu: First child in US infected with H5N1 (CDC Newsroom) Bird flu detected in raw milk……but RFK at HHS says it is safe? (NBC News) 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) If I see no one in my house, household Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Transmission is reduced! (CID) Updated boosters conferred protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and emergency visits/hospitalizations during a JN.1 variant wave(CID) Provisional COVID-19 mortality (CDC National Center for Health Statistics) Influenza, RSV and COVID-19 vaccine in nursing home residents (CDC MMWR) Vaccines are the seat belts of public health (TRID) 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) Effectiveness of molnupiravir against 30-day mortality among 74 541 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients (OFID) Sustained Recovery Among Outpatients With COVID-19 Receiving Montelukast vs Placebo(JAMA Network Open) 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) Remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19 requiring oxygen support (CID) Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Neurologic manifestations of long COVID disproportionately affect young and middle-aged Adults (Annals on Neurology) To review, three score and two months ago, the WHO brought for on this planet, the declaration of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19…. How nature began a pandemic (microbeTV) Bullying within the origin scientific discourse……by those at Rutgers (Science) Scientific harassment on the rise (Science) Doxing :The de-identified of the de-identified (Wikipedia) Harassment survey (Science) The harm of factless hypotheses (mSphere) In summary, the era of harm: factless theories (microbeTV) Stay inside: 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) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) Letters read on TWiV 1170 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

54 min
NOV 24

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
NOV 23

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 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) Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long-COVID Clinical Trials (RECOVER) Initiating Long Covid RECOVERy (Science Translational Medicine) Beyond acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in children (Science Translational Medicine) Long COVID and Osler’s Web: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (goodreads) Sex differences in post infection sequalae (Science Translational Medicine) Symptoms after Lyme disease: What’s past is prologue (Science Translational Medicine) Animal models of Long COVID (Science Translational Medicine) Therapies for Long COVID (Science Translational Medicine) Sex differences and immune correlates of Long Covid development, symptom persistence, and resolution (Science Translational Medicine) The Long COVID ISSUE (Science Translational Medicine) Letters read on TWiV 1168 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

1h 3m
NOV 17

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
NOV 16

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

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1,995 Ratings

Spread of microbes by leaf blowers

Nov 17

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.
Thank you!

Aug 23

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

Jan 25

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.
New listener

Jul 19

rcamp0222

I’m a new listener. Was excited at first but realized it is mainly big government leftist talk masquerading as virus information. I’m out.