This Week in Virology

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TWiV #42 - Bats and ticks Jul 25, 2009

Show notes

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Delthia Ricks discuss a new influenza virus-like particle vaccine, dog flu, ultrasensitive pen-sized virus detector, imported rabies in the US, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and next season’s flu vaccines.

Hosts Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, Alan Dove, and Delthia Ricks

Links for this episode:

Trivalent virus-like particle vaccine
Canine flu virus vaccine
Ultrasensitive virus detector
Rabies imported into the US
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Kazakhstan
FDA approves seasonal flu vaccine for fall
Yields of 2009 H1N1 vaccine are low
FDA may fast-track approval of 2009 H1N1 vaccine

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Delthia 100 questions and answers about influenza by Delthia Ricks Alan Tinychat Dick Mythbusters Vincent Effect Measure

TWiV #41 - Fish flu Jul 19, 2009

Show notes

In episode 41 of "This Week in Virology", Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, Alan Dove and Rich Condit chat about infectious salmon anemia virus, virus-resistant grapevines, virulence of pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, origin of 1918 influenza virus, holy water ban to halt influenza, frequency of human WU and KI polyomavirus infection, rabies in China, and host species of sin nombre virus.

Links for this episode

Wal-Mart stops buying Chile salmon on virus outbreak
Virus-resistant grapevines
Virulence of H1N1 pandemic influenza virus in animal models
Did 1918 influenza virus originate in birds or not?
Holy water ban to halt swine flu
Frequent Human Infection with WU and KI Polyomaviruses
Rabies in China
Increased Host Species Diversity and Decreased Prevalence of Sin Nombre Virus
Fast, cheap PCR for crime scenes (thanks Jim!)

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Alan For Love of Insects by Thomas EisnerRich Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard RhodesDick Origin of Species by Charles Darwin Vincent Gallileoscope (thanks Zach!)

TWiV #40 - Tamiflu in the water Jul 12, 2009

Show notes

In episode 40 of "This Week in Virology", hosts Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, and Alan Dove consider Reston ebolavirus in swine, historical perspective of H1N1 influenza virus emergence and circulation, Tamiflu-resistant H1N1, Tamiflu in Japanese river waters, transmission of H1N1 virus in ferrets, and pneumonia and respiratory failure from H1N1 in Mexico.

Links for this episode

Reston ebolavirus in Philippine swine
Historical perspective on H1N1 virus
Salk's 1947 article on flu vaccine failure
Persistent legacy of 1918 H1N1 virus
Tamiflu resistant H1N1 virus (AP article)
Tamiflu in Japanese river waters
H1N1 infection of ferrets (article one and two)
Pneumonia and respiratory failure from S-OIV in Mexico
DNA-based equine WNV vaccine (thanks Peter!)
Fundamentals of Molecular Virology by Nicholas Acheson

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Alan Coming to Life by Christiane Nusslein-VolhardDick Monsters Inside Me from Discovery ChannelVincent Microbeworld

TWiV #39 - Virus structure Jul 06, 2009

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In episode 39 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello and Dick Despommier discuss virus structure and answer listener questions.

Links for this episode

Diagrams of virus structures
Boston Globe article on Genzyme
FDA warning letter to Genzyme (thanks Peter!)
Public Health Reports July - December 1918 (thanks Lenn!)
Amateur scientists working with professionals (thanks Ennio!)
Influenza H1N1 and computer analogies (thanks swiss compass!)
Bone marrow transplant to cure AIDS not reported (thanks Andrew!)
Paul Offitt interview on vaccines and autism
Mark Crislip on vaccines and autism

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Dick Visual Explanations by Edward R. TufteVincent The Youngest Science by Lewis Thomas

TWiV #38 - Measles Jun 28, 2009

Show notes

In episode 38 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello and Glenn Rall chat about koi herpesvirus, H1N1 influenza vaccine produced in insect cells, attack by a rabid raccoon, and measles.

Links for this episode:

Virus suspected in carp die-off: koi herpesvirus
H1N1 influenza vaccine produced in insect cells with baculovirus vectors
Outbreak of measles in Wales
Production of influenza vaccines in cell cultures: MDCK, Vero, PER.C6, EB66, insect (thanks Peter!)

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Glenn Riddled with Life by Marlene Zuk Vincent All the Virology on the WWW

TWiV #37 - Open access Jun 21, 2009

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In episode 37 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove and guest Eric Freed talk about vesivirus contamination of bioreactors, pandemic influenza, maximizing the effect of vaccination by targeting children, chikungunya virus, and open access scientific journals.

Links for this episode:

Genzyme shuts down manufacturing of two enzyme drugs because of vesivirus contamination
Brazilian H1N1 isolate is not novel
WHO interactive H1N1 map
Targeting children maximizes the effect of vaccination
Chikungunya virus and Aedes mosquitoes
Viruses, an open-access virology journal
iBioSeminars
A field study of virus removal in septic tank drainfields

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Alan Forrest Mims (website) Vincent The Machinery of Life by David S. Goodsell

TWiV #36 - Pandemic Jun 15, 2009

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In episode 36 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Dick Despommier and guest Hamish Young discuss the 2009 influenza pandemic, first 2009 H1N1 vaccine, hunting mosquitoes with midges, vaccine-associated polio in India, and adenoviruses.

Links for this episode:

WHO calls it a pandemic
Novartis produces test run of H1N1 vaccine
Midge keeps invasive mosquito in check
Two cases of vaccine-associated polio in India
BBC interactive map of influenza cases
Outbreak of adenovirus type 14

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Dick The World’s Water by Peter H. Gleick Hamish Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond; Complications by Atul Gawande Alan Eurekalert Vincent Respectful Insolence

TWiV #35 - Much achoo about nothing Jun 07, 2009

Show notes

In episode 35 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Dick Despommier and guest Richard Kessin talk about Lujo virus, a new arenavirus, influenza, WHO rewriting pandemic rules, adjuvants, and a brief history of microbiology.

Links for this episode:

Lujo virus, a new arenavirus
Is CDC too optimistic about influenza?
WHO to rewrite pandemic rules
Adjuvant at wikipedia
Avery, MacLeod, McCarty 50th anniversary ( pdf)

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Dick Three papers on origins of infectious diseases (one, two, three) Rich An Imperfect Lens by Anne Roiphe Alan Zotero, a FireFox plugin Vincent e! Science News

TWiV #34 - Arsenic and facemasks May 31, 2009

Show notes

In episode 34 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and guest Stephen Morse discuss progressive vaccinia in a smallpox vaccinee, arsenic and influenza in mice, facemasks and flu transmission, and antigenic and genetic analyses of the new H1N1 influenza virus.

Links for this episode:

Progressive vaccinia in a military smallpox vaccinee
Arsenic compromises the immune response to influenza in mice
Facemasks prevent flu transmission in a mathematical model
Serum cross-reactive antibody response to the new H1N1 influenza virus
Antigenic and genetic characteristics of the new H1N1 influenza viruses
Preparation of influenza virus vaccine seeds
Paul Ewald on the evolution of virulence

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Alan Org-Mode
Vincent Human/Swine A/H1N1 Influenza Origins and Evolution
Stephen The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

TWiV #33 - Live in Philly May 24, 2009

Show notes

Vincent, Alan, Dick, and Raul Andino live at ASM discussed cytomegalovirus infection and blood pressure, restriction of avian influenza viral replication at low temperature, first isolation of West Nile virus in PA, and current status of influenza.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Dick Despommier, and Raul Andino

Links for this episode:

Cytomegalovirus infection causes an increase of arterial blood pressure Avian influenza virus glycoproteins restrict virus replication at low temperature First West Nile virus isolation of the year in PA CDC press release of 18 May 2009 Glaxo's influenza vaccine with adjuvant NY Times article on Guillain-Barré and a more scientific view

Weekly Science Picks Dick - National Museum of the History of Science and Medicine, Leiden Alan - Beginning Mac OS X Programming Vincent - Vaccinated by Paul Offit Raul - HubbleSite

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