This Week in Virology

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TWiV 1009: Nidovirus on the water May 21, 2023

Show notes

Vincent travels to Montreux, Switzerland and the 16th International Nidovirus Symposium, where he speaks with Maria von Kerkhove, the face of COVID-19 for the World Health Organization, and Kanta Subbarao, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Influenza in Melbourne.

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guests: Kanta Subbarao and Maria von Kerkhove

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MicrobeTV Discord Server
Nidovirus Symposium, Montreux
WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza, Melbourne
Maria von Kerkhove (Wikipedia)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1008: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin May 20, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses variant specific clinical performance of a SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test with focus on omicron VOC, ventilation in buildings, COVID-19 mortality among selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor users, risk of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with pre-coronavirus disease obstructive sleep apnea diagnoses, trajectories of the evolution of post COVID-19 condition, and efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy targeting severe fatigue following COVID-19.

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Links for this episode

Virus variant clinical performance of a SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test (CID)
Ventilation in buildings (CDC)
COVID-19 mortality among SSRI users (CMI)
Risk of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with sleep apnea (SLEEP)
Trajectories of the evolution of post COVID-19 condition (IJID)
Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy targeting fatigue following COVID-19 (CAD)
Contribute to our FIMRC fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1008
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1007: Fragile DNA, viruses, cancer May 14, 2023

Show notes

TWiV explains genetic changes in nOPV2 strains that paralyzed children, outbreak of raccoon distemper in Toronto, EcoHealth Alliance gets its NIH grant back, and breakage at chromosomal fragile sites caused by the EBNA1 protein of Epstein-Barr virus as a mechanism for carcinogenesis.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Angela Mingarelli

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Links for this episode

Register for ASV 2023
Research assistant position at FDA (pdf)
MicrobeTV Discord Server
nOPV2 after two years (Polioeradication)
Raccoon distemper in Toronto (CityNews Everywhere)
NIH reinstates EcoHealth grant (Nature)
Chromosomal breakage by EBNA1 (Nature)
Agent of chromosomal instability (Nature)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Angela – Night Science Kathy – Kermit, Jim Henson, Rainbow Connection Rich – Alexander Skarsgård Explains the Answer to Everything Vincent – Beyond the Noise with Dr. Paul Offit

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1006: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin May 13, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses immunogenicity and tolerability of a bivalent virus-like particle norovirus vaccine candidate in children from 6 months up to 4 years of age, influenza hemagglutinin stem nanoparticle vaccine induces cross-group 1 neutralizing antibodies in healthy adults, COVID-19 surveillance after expiration of the public health emergency declaration, provisional mortality data, targeted vaccine messaging to promote COVID-19 vaccines for children and youth, vaccines and related biological products advisory committee meeting June 15, 2023 announcement, how to overhaul the CDC, impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on inpatient clinical outcome, prevalence of post-coronavirus disease condition 12 weeks after Omicron infection compared with negative controls and association with vaccination status, gut bacteria cocktail helps long COVID, and gut microbiota‐derived symbiotic formula (SIM01) as a novel adjuvant therapy for COVID‐19.

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Links for this episode

Immunogenicity and tolerability of a bivalent norovirus vaccine in children (HVI)
Influenza hemagglutinin stem nanoparticle vaccine induces neutralizing antibodies in healthy adults (STM)
COVID-19 surveillance after expiration of the public health emergency declaration (CDC)
Provisional mortality data (CDC)
Targeted messaging to promote COVID-19 vaccines for children and youth (Pediatrics)
Vaccines and biological products advisory committee meeting announcement (FDA)
How to overhaul the C.D.C (NYTIMES)
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on inpatient clinical outcome (CID)
Prevalence of post-COVID19 condition 12 weeks after Omicron infection and vaccination status (CID)
Gut bacteria cocktail helps long COVID (MedPage)
Gut microbiota‐derived synbiotic formula as a therapy for COVID‐19 (NIH)
Contribute to our FIMRC fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1006
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1005: COVID T vax and a virus from the blue May 07, 2023

Show notes

TWiV reveals plankton-infecting relatives of herpesviruses in the sunlit oceans, and a vaccine encoding non-spike T cell antigens that protects animals from severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

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Links for this episode

Register for ASV 2023
Research assistant position at FDA (pdf)
MicrobeTV Discord Server
Mirusviruses link herpesvirus to giant viruses (Nature)
Tara Oceans expeditions
T cell vaccine protects against severe COVID (Cell)
Letters read on TWiV 1005
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne – Immune #67: Can T cells Live Forever? Kathy – Hazel Scott, Trinidad Jazz star Alan – The Last Navigator, Steve Thomas Vincent – Nasal Spray Covid Vaccines: Hope or Hype?

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1004: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin May 06, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approving Arexvy: the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine approved for use in the United State, association between SARS-CoV-2 and metagenomic content of samples from the Huanan Seafood Market, researchers disagree over how bad it is to be reinfected and whether COVID-19 can cause lasting changes to the immune system, virtual care and emergency department use during the COVID-19 pandemic among patients of family physicians in Canada, vaccination with BCG-Denmark did not result in a lower risk of COVID-19 among health care workers than placebo, NVX-CoV2373 vaccine efficacy against hospitalization, comparative effectiveness of the SARS-COV-2 vaccines during Delta dominance, assessment of gender-specific COVID-19 case fatality risk per malignant neoplasm type, clinical outcomes following treatment for COVID-19 with Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir and Molnupiravir among patients living in nursing homes, timing of intubation and ICU mortality in COVID-19 patients, real-life experience with Remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19 among older adults, and how long COVID brain fog and muscle pain are associated with longer time to clearance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from the upper respiratory tract during acute infection.

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Links for this episode

FDA approves Arexvy, the first RSV vaccine approved in the US (FDA)
Association between SARS-CoV-2 and content of samples from the Huanan Seafood Market (bioRxiv)
Researchers disagree over how bad it is to be reinfected with COVID-19 and lasting changes to the immune system (Nature)
Virtual care and emergency department use during the COVID-19 Pandemic among patients of family physicians (JAMA)
Vaccination with BCG-Denmark did not result in a lower risk of COVID-19 among health care workers (NEJM)
NVX-CoV2373 vaccine efficacy against hospitalization (Vaccine)
Comparative effectiveness of the SARS-COV-2 vaccines during Delta (Cell)
Assessment of gender-specific COVID-19 case fatality risk (JAMA)
Clinical outcomes following treatment for COVID-19 with Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir and Molnupiravir (JAMA)
Timing of intubation and ICU mortality in COVID-19 patients (BMC)
Real-life experience with Remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19 (JAC)
Long COVID brain fog and muscle pain are associated with longer time to clearance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (Frontiers)
Contribute to our FIMRC fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1004
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1003: Going clinically viral Apr 30, 2023

Show notes

Vincent and Kathy travel to Atlanta for APHL ID Lab Con, a conference focused on the latest developments in detection and characterization of infectious diseases of public health concern, and speak with Megan, Ryan, and Kirsten about the workings of public health and clinical laboratories.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Kathy Spindler

Guests: Megan Crumpler, Ryan Relich, and Kirsten St. George

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
APHL Lab ID CON
Association of Public Health Laboratories
Orange County Public Health Laboratory
Division of Clinical Microbiology, Indiana University Health
Virology Laboratory, NYSDOH
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 1002: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Apr 29, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses completeness and spin of medRxiv preprints and associated published abstracts of COVID-19 randomized clinical trials, lessons learned from a COVID-19 dog screening pilot in California K-12 schools, SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and severity of the disease, effectiveness of COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, Molnupiravir and risk of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, risk of new-onset long Covid following reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, low vitamin D levels associated with long COVID syndrome in COVID-19 survivors, and clinical experience with the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, and N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of cognitive deficits in "Long-COVID19".

Click arrow to play Download TWiV 1002 (27 MB .mp3, 44 min)

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Links for this episode

Completeness and spin of medRxiv preprint and published abstracts of COVID-19 randomized clinical trials (JAMA)
Lessons learned from a COVID-19 dog screening pilot (JAMA)
SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and severity of the disease (Viruses)
Effectiveness of COVID-19 bivalent vaccine (medRxiv)
Molnupiravir and risk of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (BMJ)
Risk of new-onset long Covid following reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 (medRxiv)
Low vitamin D levels are associated with Long COVID in COVID-19 survivors (JCEM)
Clinical experience with the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, and N-acetylcysteine for treatment of Long-COVID19 (NIH)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1002
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1001: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Apr 23, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses an update on vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks, how the dream of wiping out polio might need a rethink, risk of death in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 vs seasonal Influenza in fall-winter, French Mpox cluster includes fully vaccinated patients, two individuals with potential Mpox virus reinfection, epidemiologic and clinical features of Mpox-associated deaths, FDA authorizes changes to simplify use of bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 during Omicron variant predominance among infants born to people with SARS-CoV-2, severe maternal morbidity and mortality of pregnant patients with COVID-19 infection during the early pandemic period in the US, sickness presenteeism in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, ventilation improvements among k–12 public school districts, risk factors and vectors for SARS-CoV-2 household transmission, SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies after bivalent versus monovalent, durability of bivalent boosters against Omicron subvariants, Nirmatrelvir and risk of hospital admission or death in adults with COVID-19, evolving real-world effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies for treatment of COVID-19, effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support–free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, efficacy and safety of Anakinra plus standard of care for patients with severe COVID-19, higher dose corticosteroids in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 who are hypoxic but not requiring ventilatory support, risk of autoimmune diseases in patients with COVID-19, definition of post–COVID-19 condition among published research studies, and sleep disturbance severity and correlates in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

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Links for this episode

Update on vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks (CDC)
The dream of wiping out polio might need a rethink (NPR)
Risk of death in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 vs influenza (JAME)
French mpox cluster includes fully vaccinated patients (CIDRAP)
Two individuals with potential Monkeypox reinfection (The Lancet)
Epidemiologic and clinical features of Mpox-associated deaths (CDC)
FDA authorizes changes to simplify use of Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (FDA)
Omicron variant predominance among infants born to people with SARS-CoV-2 (Pediatrics)
Severe maternal morbidity and mortality of pregnant patients with COVID-19 (JAMA)
Sickness presenteeism in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic (ICHE)
Ventilation improvements among K–12 public school districts (CDC)
Risk factors and vectors for SARS-CoV-2 household transmission (The Lancet)
SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies after bivalent vs monovalent (The Lancet)
Durability of bivalent boosters against Omicron subvariants (NEJM)
Nirmatrelvir and risk of hospital admission or death in adults with COVID-19 (BMJ)
Real world effectiveness of Monoclonal Antibodies for treatment of COVID-19 (AIM)
Study on ACE inhibitor and ARB effect on COVID-19 patient outcomes (JAMA)
Efficacy and safety of Anakinra plus standard of care for patients with severe COVID-19 (JAMA)
High-dose corticosteroids in non-ventilated COVID-19 patients with hypoxia (The Lancet)
Risk of autoimmune diseases in patients with COVID-19 (eClinical)
Definition of post–COVID-19 condition (JAMA)
Sleep disturbance severity and correlates in Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (JGIM)
Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1001
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1000: Live from New York, 1k epitopes of virology Apr 23, 2023

Show notes

The entire TWiV team gathers at a theatre in New York City to celebrate a milestone in science podcasting, to reminisce how they joined the show, and to play a game of TWiV Jeopardy.

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

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Links for this episode