This Week in Virology

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TWiV 803: COVID-19 clinical update #79 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Sep 11, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #79, Daniel Griffin discusses clinical management guidelines, ER visits and hospitalization among children, infection and vaccine induced seroprevalence in the US, antibodies in Kenyan blood donors, infections after vaccination, anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis, baracitinib efficacy, long-term symptoms in adults, and sustained symptoms after severe disease.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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Links for this episode

Overlooked shortcomings of observational studies (Op For Inf Dis)
Guidelines for clinical management (Op For Inf Dis)
ER visits and hospitalization among children (MMWR)
Hospitalization of adolescents (MMWR)
Seroprevalence in the US (JAMA)
Seroprevalence in Kenya (JAMA)
Infections after vaccine (medRxiv)
Israel data dashboard
Guidelines on anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis (Blood Adv)
Baricitinib efficacy (Lancet)
Long term symptoms, US adults (MMWR)
Severe disease associated with long term symptoms (medRxiv)
Letters read on TWiV 803
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 802: Another epitope with Shane Crotty Sep 09, 2021

Show notes

Shane Crotty returns to TWiV to review the immunology of COVID-19, including differences between infection and vaccination, increased breadth of antibodies after infection followed by vaccination, the roles of T cells, and whether booster vaccinations are needed.

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

Guest: Shane Crotty

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Links for this episode

ASV Vaccine Town Halls
SARS-CoV-2 immune memory 8 months post-infection (Science)
SARS-CoV-2 T cell epitopes (Cell Host Microbe)
Letters read on TWiV 802
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne – How the cat gets its stripes Kathy – Kurzgesagt on Giruses (giant viruses) and beautiful APOD Rich – The 1911 Triangle Factory Fire; Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle Vincent – Two Top F.D.A. Vaccine Regulators Are Set to Depart During a Crucial Period

Listener Picks

Debby – River Runner Lin – Your Vaccinated Immune System Is Ready for Breakthroughs

Intro music is by Ronald Je Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 801: We can hear the coffin Sep 05, 2021

Show notes

The meteorologicomaniacs discuss the COVID-19 pandemic global death toll, effectiveness of vaccines against the delta variant, and how analysis of ancient viral DNA reveals that two pathogenic human viruses were brought into Mexico during the transatlantic slave trade.

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

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Links for this episode

ASV Vaccine Town Halls
COVID-19 excess mortality (eLife)
Tracking pandemic death toll (eLife)
COVID-19 vaccines and delta variant (NEJM)
Slave trade carries viruses into Mexico (eLife)
Letters read on TWiV 801
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Victor Borge, Phonetic Punctuation Brianne – Cat TV Rich – Cochrane review: Ivermectin for preventing and treating COVID‐19 Alan – Cockpit video of flying into Oshkosh Vincent – Medical News Network Morning Medical Update

Listener Pick

Jody – Human Body Theatre and Plagues: The Microscopic Battlefield

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 800: COVID-19 clinical update #78 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Sep 04, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #78, Daniel Griffin covers ivermectin, convalescent plasma, disease in pregnant women, children and COVID, delta outbreak in an elementary school, validation of at-home antigen test, shedding in infected vaccinated people, mRNA vaccine antibody responses compared, AZD7442, fluvoxamine, one year outcomes in hospitalized patients, and post-vaccination disease.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Links for this episode

Do not take veterinary ivermectin (FDA)
Ivermectin side effects (CDC)
Do not use convalescent plasma (IDSA)
COVID-19 in pregnant women (JAMA)
Children and COVID-19 data (AAP)
Long COVID in 11-17 year olds (Res Square)
Delta outbreak elementary school (MMWR)
Validation of at-home antigen test (JAMA)
Shedding in infected vaccinated people (medRxiv)
Compared antibody responses after mRNA vaccination
(JAMA)
AZD7442 PROVENT phase III (AZ)
Fluvoxamine trial (medRxiv)
One-year outcomes hospital survivors (Lancet)
Post-vaccination illness (Lancet)
Letters read on TWiV 800
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 799: A very model of a modern TWiV Sep 02, 2021

Show notes

TWiV reviews models for determining correlates of neutralizing antibody protection against COVID-19, and for identifying key vector and host species that drive transmission of zoonotic pathogens.

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

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Links for this episode

Correlate of protection needed for COVID-19 vaccines (Nat Med)
Neutralizing antibodies predict protection against symptomatic COVID-19 (Nat Med)
Host and vector importance for Ross River virus (eLife)
Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (NY Times)
Letters read on TWiV 799
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne – A microscopic video shows the coronavirus on the rampage Kathy – Sabin Oral Sundays in Cuyahoga County, 1962 Rich – The Continuing COVID-19 Pandemic: Current Issues and Glimpse Into the Future Vincent – Demand Surges for Deworming Drug for Covid, Despite Scant Evidence It Works

Listener Picks

Ronald – Immunity to COVID-19 could last longer than you'd think Agnes – Space Shuttle Prints

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 798: Rats, more coronaviruses! Aug 29, 2021

Show notes

The TWiV team explains what the Biden report on SARS-CoV-2 origins did not: evidence that the virus came from Nature, not a lab; and reveals new coronaviruses in rodents that inhabit populated areas in southern China.

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

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Links for this episode

Biden preliminary report on virus origins (NY Times)
Window on SARS-CoV-2 origins closing (Nature)
WHO Committee members on TWiV 760
Origins of SARS-CoV-2 review (Cell)
Comirnaty? Really Pfizer? (FDA)
Why the weird name for Pfizer vaccine (Quartz)
US vaccine names (CDC)
More coronaviruses from rodents in China (J Viral)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales Kathy – Solar System ball drop Rich – Dr. Fox effect Alan – Patty Wagstaff virtual airshow cockpit video Vincent – Office Hours

Listener Picks

Karen – The Dog Will See You Now Alicia – Bio-Rad GTCA Song

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 797: COVID-19 clinical update #77 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Aug 28, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #77, Daniel Griffin discusses children becoming increasingly infected, virological characteristics of infections in vaccinated health care workers, transmission dynamics among close contacts, licensing of Pfizer mRNA vaccine, cost of hospitalization of unvaccinated patients, 29 times higher hospitalization rates in unvaccinated patients, boost in neutralizing antibody potency and breadth by third vaccine dose, and use of J&J vaccine as second dose.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Links for this episode

COVID-19 false dichotomies (BMC Inf Dis)
Virological characteristics of infections (medRxiv)
Transmission among close contacts (JAMA)
Comirnaty licensed (FDA)
Cost of hospitalization of unvaccinated (Health Sys Tracker)
29 times higher hospitalization among unvaccinated (MMWR)
Third dose boosts antibody potency and breadth (medRxiv)
J&J second dose (J&J)
Letters read on TWiV 797
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 796: The vary hungry spike with Paul and Theodora Aug 22, 2021

Show notes

Paul and Theodora return to TWiV to explain their research on determining the number of neutralizing epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike that are recognized by antibodies, and engineering of a polymutant spike with twenty amino acid changes that demonstrates the high genetic barrier to escape from convalescent serum.

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

Guests: Paul Bieniasz and Theodora Hatiziiouannou

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Links for this episode

High genetic barrier for SARS-CoV-2 antibody escape (bioRxiv)
Enhanced antibody one year after COVID-19 (Nature)
Letters read on TWiV 796
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – NIF and Photon Science: fusion reaction generates 1.3 MJ Brianne – The PCR Song Rich – 1) How Boston Dynamics' Spot Robot Works! 2) Inside the lab: How does Atlas work?3) Atlas | Partners in Parkour Theodora – Kevin Parry turning into random objects Vincent – Lex Fridman

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 795: COVID-19 clinical update #76 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Aug 21, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #76, Daniel Griffin covers association of age and pediatric household transmission, rapid antigen testing in remote communities, shedding of infectious virus in vaccinated individuals, FDA amendment of mRNA vaccine EUA to allow a third dose, new vaccine mandate for NY state, full vaccination suppresses selection of variants, effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in nursing homes, sustained effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization, and no benefit from early convalescent serum in high-risk outpatients.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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

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Links for this episode

Age and pediatric household transmission (JAMA)
Rapid antigen testing in remote communities (MMWR)
Shedding of infectious virus from vaccinated individuals (medRxiv)
Additional vaccine doses for immunocompromised (FDA)
New vaccine mandate for New York (NYS)
Vaccination suppresses variant emergence (medRxiv)
mRNA vaccine effectiveness in nursing homes (MMWR)
Effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization (MMWR)
mRNA vaccine sustained effectiveness against hospitalization (MMWR)
No benefit of convalescent plasma for high-risk outpatients (NEJM)
Letters read on TWiV 795
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 794: PAMS spray SARS-CoV-2 Aug 15, 2021

Show notes

TWiV summarizes cases of arbovirus disease during 2019 in the US, and explains a study that estimates infectiousness throughout the SARS-CoV-2 course of infection.

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

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode