This Week in Virology

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TWiV 1088: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Feb 17, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the use of monoclonal antibody therapy to prevent RSV hospitalization of infants and use of GSK's RSV vaccine Arexy to prevent severe disease following RSV infection in adults between 50-59 years before he reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus, including all circulating variants in the US, discusses if how the influenza vaccine is manufactured can reprogram the antibody response, cardiovascular consequences of influenza infection, mortality of chikungunya virus infection, if an alternative vaccination schedule impacts the anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response, dispels the myth that increased mortality correlated with the first vaccine dose, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how manage long COVID including prevent burnout and compassion fatigue of caring for long COVID patients, whether the CDC or WHO definition of long COVID is beneficial or the use of directed questions, baselines test and listening to the patient tell their story are beneficial in making a long COVID diagnosis.

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Links for this episode

Nirsevimab immunoprophylaxis to prevent RSV hospitalization (Eurosurveillance.)
Arexvy given Priority Review in US for the prevention of RSV disease in adults aged 50-59 (GSK)
Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
RSV surveillance (CDC)
RSV national trend (CDC)
Can antibodies be redirected from egg adapted epitopes using recombinant or cell cultured based influenza vaccines (Nat)
Can influenza infection lead to cardiovascular events (JID)
Risk of death after chikungunya infection and disease (Lancet)
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)
Alternative intervals between vaccine doses (Nat Comm)
Early mortality after first vaccination dose (CID)
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)
Burnout compassion fatigue Long COVID (OFID)
Scoring PASC (JAMA)
What is your definition of the Long COVID (WHO)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1088
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 1087: Should old infections be forgot Feb 11, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reviews rhinovirus complications in infants, a new influenza antiviral drug, Oropouche fever in Brazil, measles in Maryland and Ohio, effect of eliminating non-medical vaccine exemptions in NY, foot-and-mouth disease in Europe, severe primary and secondary dengue infections, and therapeutic mitigation of measles-like immune amnesia and exacerbated disease after prior respiratory virus infections.

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

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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
Infant rhinovirus bronchiolitis contribution to hospital bed and vent use (JAMA Net Open)
Onradivir new influenza antiviral (Lancet)
Oropouche fever in Brazil (PAHO)
Maryland and Ohio measles
Repealing school vaccination exemptions (JAMA New Open)
Increases risk of FMDV entry into Europe (pig333)
Severe primary and secondary dengue (Nat Med)
Mitigation of measles immune amnesia and exacerbated disease (Nat Comm)
Letters read on TWiV 1087
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – For Your Processing Pleasure: The Sharpest Pictures of Jupiter's Volcanic Moon Io in a Generation Angela – Whale Scientists Rich – Benefit-risk assessment of vaccines; The Brighton collaboration standardized module for vaccine benefit-risk assessment; Vaccine adverse events: causal or coincidental?; Austin area Singing Valentines Vincent – International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11 February

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1086: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Feb 10, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the how the pandemic influenced the healthcare job market and why people conceal their infectious diseases before he reviews most recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus, including all circulating variants in the US, discusses if susceptibility and disease severity are inheritable traits, if vaccination during pregnancy protects neonates or leads to adverse effects, the effectiveness of a monovalent XBB.1.5 against disease resulting from infection with Omicron variants, whether vaccination in the same or opposite arms effect antibody protection, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how SARS-CoV-2 infection may alter one's sleep patterns, what the health and economic burdens of mild disease are, and if there are predictors for recovery from fatigue and cognitive deficits following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Links for this episode

Do you want a job in healthcare? (JAMA)
Why people don't tell the truth about infectious diseases (Psychological Science)
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)
Is susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 inheritabile (Nat Comm)
Neonates of vaccinated mothers (JAMA)
How is the monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection Sept 2023-Jan 2024 (MMWR)
Second dose in the opposite arm improves antibody response (JCI)
Virus specific immune repsonses following contralateral or ipsilateral immunication (eBioMedicine)
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)
How COVID-19 affected your sleep (Frontiers in Public Health)
Health and economic burden of COVID-19 after illness (BMC Medicine)
Predicting recovery from fatigue and cognitive deficits after COVID-19 (eClinical Medicine)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1086
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 1085: When macrophages go to alimentary school Feb 04, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reviews measles outbreaks in England and Europe, 2 fatal Nipah virus cases in Bangladesh, yellow fever outbreak in Sudan, and discuss how the type of immunodeficiency influences the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and programming of alveolar macrophages by intestinal bacteria that influences severity of respiratory viral infection.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Rich Condit

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
Pig virus imperils food security in Borneo (Science)
Measles outbreaks in UK and Europe (Nature)
Fatal Nipah virus infections in Bangladesh (CIDRAP)
Yellow fever outbreak in Sudan (Crisis24)
COVID-19 influenced by type of immunodeficiency (Sci Transl Med)
Intestinal microbiota programming of alveolar macrophages (Cell Host Microbe)
Letters read on TWiV 1085
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – JWST details of 19 spiral galactic centers Rich – Great White Shark Attack And Breach Vincent – Black History Month and Lost Photographs of Black America

Listener Picks

Louise – The Mystery Of The Village That Beat The Black Death Pierre – Three things airlines don't want you to know Brandon – Professor Dave explains

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1084: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Feb 03, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the how the pandemic influenced the healthcare job market before he reviews most recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus, including all circulating variants in the US, discusses the safety of the prefusion RSV vaccine, if high or moderate dose of the quadrivalent influenza vaccine is better for protection against hospitalization, summarizes the new WHO COVID guidelines, revisits how to prevent pathogen transmission in healthcare setting, the under use of COVID oral antiviral and what occurs in persistently SARS-CoV-2 infected cells in culture after antiviral treatment, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how inflammatory markers change correlate with death when in ICU and if cognitive slowing is part of long COVID-19.

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

Do you want a job in healthcare? (JAMA)
Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
RSV surveillance (CDC)
RSV national trend (CDC)
Efficacy and safety of RSV vaccine after 2 seasons (CID)
High vs moderate dose of quadrivalent influenza vaccine (CMI)
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 COVID guidance (WHO)
Thoughts on COVID guidance (CIDRAP)
Update on how to prevent pathogen transmission in healthcare settings (CDC)
Underuse of antiviral drugs against COVID-19 (MMWR)
Revisiting tissue culture cells persistently infected following antiviral therapy (bioRxiv)
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)
Changes in inflammatory markers and death correlation when in ICU (Cytokine)
Long COVID & cognitive slowing? (eClinicalMedicine)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1084
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 1083: AI builds better viruses Jan 28, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reviews global measles outbreaks, toilet-generated aerosols that spread viruses, highly effective prevention of invasive cervical cancer by HPV vaccination, and design of improved adenovirus-associated viral vectors using machine learning.

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

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
Jay Nelson obituary
Measles outbreak in Europe and Central Asia (UNICEF)
Closing the toilet lid doesn't reduce virus aerosols (Am J Inf Control)
NASA's ingenuity helicopter mission ends (NASA)
HPV vaccine prevents invasive cervical cancer (J NCI)
Designing AAV vectors with machine learning (Sci Adv)
Letters read on TWiV 1083
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Asian girl building a life building a fence to protect a bamboo house Rich – Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades by Rebecca Renner Alan – Strange Bedfellows, by Ina Park Vincent – Star and Sphere kit – try the main page too

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1082: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Jan 27, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews most recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus, including all circulating variants in the US, before discussing viral transmission to adults in healthcare setting, the recently EUA approved protein based COBREVAX vaccine, reviews quarantine guidelines, the use of simnotrelivr for mild to moderate COVID-19, how viral RNA may persist in your cell culture dish following antiviral therapy, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for Paxlovid, , when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how Paxlovid may prevent long COVID and how complement dysfunction may lead to thromboinflammation during long COVID.

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

Articles and graphs cited in TWIV CU 1080
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)
Transmission in healthcare setting (CID)
COBREVAX EUA (Texas Children's Hospital)
Quarantine/isolation guidelines (CDC)
Simnotrelvir for mild to moderate disease in adults (NEJM)
Are your tissue culture cells persistently infected following antiviral therapy (bioRxiv)
Structural biology of antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 (Signal Tranduction and Targeted Therapy)
To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED)
How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS)
Remdesivir for immunocompromised during variant waves (CID)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
Patients, experts, Congress…..long COVID oh my! (CIDRAP)
Does paxlovid prevent long COVID? (CIDRAP) Persistent complement with thromboinflammation in long COVID (Science)
Contribute to our MicrobeTV fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1082
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 1081: I opened the pig sty and in flew enza Jan 21, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reviews the latest virology news, how infection with a plant virus causes insect to grow long wings, and reverse zoonoses of 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza viruses in US swine.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Brianne Barker, and Angela Mingarelli

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
Midwife gave children pellets instead of vaccines (NY Times)
Vaccine derived poliovirus circulation in Indonesia (WHO)
9th case of measles in Philadelphia (City of Philadelphia)
Measles exposure warning northern Virginia (Virginia DOH)
China lab sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genome 2 weeks before release (WSJ)
Wisconsin bill to restrict gain of function experiments (Science)
Virus infection of insects causes long wings (PNAS)
Reverse zoonoses of influenza H1N1 virus in swine (PLoS Path)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Concerto for Horn and Hardart, P. Schickele Angela – ChatGPT4 Brianne – How mRNA Vaccine Works, Why We Need Two Doses of mRNA Vaccine Rich – Evolutionary basis for the human diet: consequences for human health by P. Andrews, R.J. Johnson Vincent – Virology Lectures 2024

Listener Picks

Geoff and Anonymous – Dickson Despommier wants our cities to be like forests

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1080: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Jan 20, 2024

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews most recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus in the US before discussing vaccine effectiveness in children and adolescents, how the pandemic impacted the socioemotional development of infants and toddlers, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for Paxlovid, reviews quarantine guidelines, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, examines the role of immune aberrations in long COVID and how vaccination may protect against developing long COVID.

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)
Remember when COVID was bad? (Wired)
Children and adolescents hospitalized with SARI (Pediatrics)
COVID-19 vaccines are effective for adolescents (Pediatrics)
Vaccine effectiveness against long COVID in children (Pediatrics)
Infant and toddler socioemotional development in the pandemic (JAMA)
Quarantine/isolation guidelines (CDC)
Should I take Paxlovid? (NY Times)
What is this about Paxlovid rebound? (CDC)
Rebound is NOT the early inflammatory phase (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)
T cell dysregulation inflammation and uncoordinated adaptive immune response, Long COVID oh my (Nat Imm)
Vaccine effectiveness against long COVID (CIDRAP)
Prevention of long COVID by vaccines (Antimicrobial-stewardship and healthcare)
Sex and gender relationship with long COVID (Eurosurveillance)
Are all vaccines equal in preventing Long COVID? (Lancet)
Vaccine naïve individuals, Long COVID and vaccination (medRxiv)
Contribute to our MicrobeTV fundraiser at PWB
Letters 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 1079: Rock of phages Jan 13, 2024

Show notes

TWiV reveals how viruses participate in the organomineralization of travertines, and how neutralizing antibodies evolve to exploit vulnerable sites in the hepatitis C virus envelope glycoprotein E2 and mediate clearance of infection.

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

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode