This Week in Virology

Latest Episodes:

TWiV 1098: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Mar 23, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent domestic and global measles and mpox outbreaks, before reviewing recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and SARS-CoV-2, discussing revised guidelines for how to treat respiratory viral infection guidelines by the CDC, revised guidelines SARS-CoV-2 treatment and how to treat respiratory viral infections, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, how much oxygen is necessary for effective treatment of severe disease, how COVID-19 effects the cardiovascular system of children and adolescents with long COVID and how iron metabolism may be altered during long COVID.

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Links for this episode

Measles tracking (CDC)
Measles in Cook County (MMWR)
Gaps in measles vaccination drives viral surges (Infectious Disease Advisor)
Misinformation impacts public health? Seriously? (ID Society)
CDC alert for global and domestic measles cases and outbreaks (CDC)
Mpox in Kamituga associated with outbreak in DRB (Eurosurviellance)
Mpox in US, 2023 (MMWR)
Mpox in DRC, 2024 (reliefweb)
CDC guidance for respiratory diseases, COVID antiviral & emergence of clade I mpox (ID Society)
~5% of infected dead from mpox (CIDRAP)
First cases of mpox in Republic of Congo (AP News)
Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
RSV surveillance (CDC)
RSV national trend (CDC)
Influenza/flu surveillance (CDC)
Influenza/flu map (CDC)
COVID-19 hospital admissions (CDC)
COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
Variant tracker (CDC)
Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children 2023 (MMWR)
Guidance for COVID-19 in children and adolescents (JPIDS)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
What do when your heathcare provider is infected with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC)
Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
High/low oxygenation target (JAMA)
How much oxygen is needed (JAMA)
Orthostatic intolerance in long COVID and healthy volunteers (JMV)
Autonomic cardiac function in children and adolescents with long COVID (European Journal of Pediatrics)
Long COVID iron dysregulation and inflammatory stress erythropoiesis (Nat Imm)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letter s read on TWiV 1098
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

TWiV 1097: Tiny cells and giant viruses in a castle Mar 17, 2024

Show notes

Vincent travels to the fifth Giant Virus Meeting in Tegernsee, Germany and speaks with Sheree Yau and Victoria Queiroz about their research on picoeukaryotes (tiny algal cells) and their viruses, pithoviruses, and an educational kit for virology classes.

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guests: Sheree Yau and Victoria Queiroz

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
The New City by Dickson Despommier 8:16
Virophage control of antarctic algal host-virus dynamics (PNAS)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!
Virus-host coexistence in phytoplankton through the genomic lens (Sci Adv)
Two groups of pithoviruses (J Virol)
Educational toolkit for virology classes (J Virol)

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1096: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Mar 16, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin highlights measles outbreaks throughout the continental US, reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 before discussing if vaccination protected children from the development of long COVID or cardiovascular diseases associated with virus infection, revised guidelines SARS-CoV-2 treatment and how to treat respiratory viral infections, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how COVID-19 effects the autonomic nervous system, and if nirmatrelvir-ritonavir protects against adverse cardiovascular effects following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Links for this episode

Measles everywhere (CDC)
Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
RSV surveillance (CDC)
RSV national trend (CDC)
Estimating niresevimab effectiveness for infants (MMWR)
More than 100 children died of influenza (NBS News)
Influenza/flu surveillance (CDC)
Influenza/flu map (CDC)
COVID-19 hospital admissions (CDC)
COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
Variant tracker (CDC)
Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
Did the vaccine protect children against Long COVID (Pediatrics)
Did COVID-19 vaccination impact cardiovascular diseases? (Nat Comm)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
Updated respiratory infection guidelines (CDC)
What do when your heathcare provider is infected with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC)
Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
Long COVID trial for autonomic nervous system dysfunction (NIH)
Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir impact on myocardial injury and long-term cardiovascular outcomes in COVID-19 hospitalized patients (Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letter s read on TWiV 1096
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

TWiV 1095: Monkeys fly and mice exaggerate Mar 10, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reviews heterosexual transmission of clade I Mpox virus, continued circulation of oropouche virus in South America, herpesviruses in South American fur seals and sea lions, sex-specific differences in physiological responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, underdetected dispersal and extensive local transmission drove the 2022 mpox epidemic, and a humanized mouse model for adenovirus-associated virus gene therapy.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Angela Mingarelli

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
The New City by Dickson Despommier
Heterosexual transmission of clade I Mpox virus (Emerg Inf Dis)
Continued circulation of oropouche virus (PAHO and WHO)
Herpesviruses in fur seals and sea lions (PLoS One)
Sex-specific effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PLoS One)
Drivers of 2022 Mpox virus epidemic (Cell)
How AAV gene transfer works (YouTube)
Humanized mouse model for AAV gene therapy (Nat Comm)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Baden Powell – Manha de Carneval Angela – Upcoming Health & Fitness podcast from MicrobeTV Rich – Mark Smith Photography Alan – OpenVertebrate (and Science article on it) Vincent – Veterinary apparel for the veterinary nerd

Listener Pick

Anne – Why Reed Jobs is betting on cancer innovations

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1094: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Mar 09, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 before discussing revised guidelines for how to treat respiratory viral infection guidelines by the CDC, effectiveness of the new SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the combination of vaccination and antiviral therapy against the development of disease, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, the lack of evidence supporting ivermectin as an antiviral drug, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how COVID-19 affects cognitive function and the effect of long COVID and how healthcare works have difficulty making the proper diagnosis for long COVID even using a questionnaire.

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
RSV surveillance (CDC)
RSV national trend (CDC)
Influenza/flu surveillance (CDC)
Influenza/flu map (CDC)
COVID-19 hospital admissions (CDC)
COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
Variant tracker (CDC)
Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
What to do when you are sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
Basis for respiratory virus guidance (CDC)
Effectiveness of updated COVID-19 vaccines (MMWR)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
Synergy or additive protection with vaccination and oral antivirals (CID)
To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED)
How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
Still talking about Ivermectin? (Journal of Infection)
Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
Cognition and memory after COVID-19 (NEJM)
Loss of IQ after SARS-CoV-2 infection (CIDRAP)
Really, more evidence for long COVID and impaired cognition (NEJM)
Memory assessment before and after COVID-19 (NEJM)
Please complete this memory questionnaire (Community hyperbaric)
Impact of long-term COVID-19 on workers in healthcare settings (PLoS One)
Healthcare workers have difficulty assessing long COVID (CIDRAP)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letter s read on TWiV 1094
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

TWiV 1093: Reservoir bats and jumbo phage Mar 03, 2024

Show notes

TWiV discusses effectiveness of this season's flu vaccine, efficacy of Pfizer RSV vaccine, nOPV2 in the US, dengue in Peru, measles in Michigan and Indiana, how coordinated inflammatory responses dictate control of Marburg virus by reservoir bats, and tRNA acquisition in phages driven by degradation of host translational machinery.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, Brianne Barker, and Jolene Ramsey

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
The New City by Dickson Despommier
Effectiveness of flu vaccine (MMWR, Eurosurveill)
Efficacy of Pfizer RSV vaccine (Pfizer)
Understanding six types of vaccine technologies (Pfizer)
nOPV in US? (CDC)
Dengue in Peru (Peruvian State)
Measles in Michigan and Indiana
Marburg virus control by reservoir bats (Nat Commun)
tRNA acquisition by phages (Cell)
Viruses of Microbes 2024
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne – The reappearance of Lake Manly Kathy – "Practical Playbook for Addressing Health Misinformation" Rich – Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart Jolene – Thinking Like a Phage by Merry Youle Vincent – The Science of Leap Year

Listener Picks

Blog design – Anthony Fauci will reflect on his long government career in 'On Call,' to be published in June Peter – Republican warns of vaccines being slipped into vegetables: 'A polio vaccine in there'

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1092: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Mar 02, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 before discussing new vaccine guidelines released by the advisory committee on immunization practices, and reviews the CDC guidelines for quarantine/ isolation following SARS-CoV-2 infection, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, the role of IFN-g in long COVID, if the brain-blood-barrier is compromised in long COVID, meaning of persistent community SARS-CoV-2 RNA findings, and the effects of hyperbaric oxygen on post COVID neurocognition.

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
RSV surveillance (CDC)
RSV national trend (CDC)
RSV vaccination stats (CIDRAP)
Influenza/flu surveillance (CDC)
Influenza/flu map (CDC)
COVID-19 hospital admissions (CDC)
COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
Variant tracker (CDC)
Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
ACIP COVID vaccination for seniors recommendations (CIDRAP)
Additional vaccine doses for older adults (CDC)
Evidence based advice from the ACIP (CDC)
State mandates did NOT influence primary vaccination rates only boosters (PNAS)
No nOPV2? (CDC)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED)
How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
Molunpiravir plus antibody therapy for at-risk outpatients (Nat Comm)
Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
Spontaneous release of IFN-g in Long COVID (Science Advances)
Blood-brain-barrier compromise in long COVID associated cognitive impairment (Nat Neuroscience)
Persistent community SARS-CoV-2 RNA (Nature)
Hyberbaric oxygen therapy improves post COVID neurocognition (Scientific Reports)
Medical study questionnaire, the SHORT form (Brandeis)
Long term effects of hyperbaric oxygen post COVID (Scientific Reports)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letter s read on TWiV 1092
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

TWiV 1091: Skeeter poo and obelisks too Feb 25, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reviews resurgence of Lassa fever in West Africa, at least 3 paralytic cases of cVDPV2 in Zimbabwe, CWD from eating prion-laden plants, measles in New Orleans and Broward County Florida, failure of Florida Surgeon General to support vaccination, a measles variant in Switzerland, SARS-CoV-2 persistent infections, leaky blood-brain-barrier for long COVID brain fog, West Nile virus transmitted among mosquitoes by the excreta, and viroid-like colonists of human microbiomes.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit and Kathy Spindler

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
Research assistant position in Rosenfeld Lab CBER/FDA (pdf)
The New City by Dickson Despommier
Viruses of Microbes 2024
Resurgence of Lassa fever (Science)
cVDPV2 in Zimbabwe (UNICEF)
CWD from eating plants (CIDRAP)
Measles in New Orleans (LA Dept Health)
SARS-CoV-2 persistent infections (Nature)
Leaky BBB for brain fog of long COVID (Nat Neurosci)
Measles in Broward County FL (7 News)
Failure of FL Surgeon General to support vaccination (X)
Measles variant (Eurosurveillance)
West Nile virus transmitted among mosquitos by excreta (bioRxiv)
Mosquito life cycle (YouTube)
Viroid-like colonists of human microbiomes (bioRxiv)
Letters read on TWiV 1091
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Sustainable energy in America 2024 factbook Kathy – Life Magnified USPS stamps Rich – "How plants communicate with each other when in danger" by Kasha Patel (Original Nature Communications article) Alan – A Sargasso Sea of Space card game. Vincent – Tell Me When It's Over by Paul Offit

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1090: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Feb 24, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus before discussing uptake of the RSV vaccine Abrysvo or the monoclonal anti-RSV antibody nirsevimab to prevent severe disease following RSV infection in infants 8 months or younger before going over this week's influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus statistics, including all circulating variants in the US, examines if self-testing is more accurate than clinician administered Binax rapid diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection, if N95 masks need a yearly fitting, how SARS-CoV-2 vaccination impacts the prevalence of long COVID, reviews the CDC guidelines for quarantine/ isolation following SARS-CoV-2 infection, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, why determining the exact number of long COVID incidences is challenging, how the incidence and predictors for fatiguing illness following SARS-CoV-2 infection may used to reenforce the need for public health actions to prevent virus infection and the risks of respiratory pathologies including lung cancer associate with SARS-C0V-2 infection.

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
RSV surveillance (CDC)
RSV national trend (CDC)
RSV vaccination stats (CIDRAP)
Abrysvo vaccine stats (Axios)
RSV vaccination dashboard (CDC)
Influenza/flu surveillance (CDC)
Influenza/flu map (CDC)
COVID-19 hospital admissions (CDC)
COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
Variant tracker (CDC)
Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
Who is more accurate the clinician or the self for BinaxNow rapid testing (ASM Spectrum)
Annual N95 fitting (Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology)
How vaccination impacts long COVID prevalence (Annals of Epidemiology)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED)
How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
Long COVID in adults (MMWR)
Estimating and predicting fatiguing illness after SARS-CoV-2 infection (EIS)
Long term risks of respiratory disease following SARS-CoV-2 infection (eClinical Medicine)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letter s read on TWiV 1080
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

TWiV 1089: Shoot out at the Circle-T ranch Feb 18, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reviews a fatal Alaskapox case, MERS in Kenya, diagnostic tests for Nipah and Lassa diseases, HPV vaccination rates in the US, cases of measles in Arizona and Minnesota, hepatitis C virus-derived RNA circles in infected cells, and prevention of respiratory virus transmission by resident memory CD8+ T cells.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Brianne Barker

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode