This Week in Virology

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 COVI...

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...

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

TWiV notes Ashish Jha's call for doctors to combat a vacuum of medical information while ignoring our contributions, China CDC's surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 at the Huanan Seafood Market, and an experimental infectious attenuated COVID-19 vaccine that elicits superior mucosal and systemic immunity in hamsters. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello ,  Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Kathy Spindler , and  Brian...

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the White House COVID adviser calling on doctors to combat a vacuum of medical information, adeno-associated virus type 2 in US children with acute severe hepatitis, genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children, surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 at the Huanan seafood market, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization among adole...

Mohsan joins TWiV to discuss the work of his laboratory showing that spike and nsp6 are determinants of Omicron attenuation, and why the work was widely misinterpreted by the press and the public. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello ,  Alan Dove , and Rich Condit Guest: Mohsan Saeed Subscribe (free):  Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode •Regist...

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses how antibiotics don't reduce risk of death from viral respiratory infections, norovirus infections continue to rise in the US, ABO blood types and SARS-CoV-2 infection assessed using seroprevalence data in a large population-based sample, maternal third dose of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and risk of infant COVID-19 hospitalization, association of tre...

TWiV discusses genetic evidence of susceptible wildlife in SARS-CoV-2 positive samples at the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, polio cases in African linked to a new polio vaccine that was designed to not cause the disease, and structural conservation of hepatitis B virus capsid proteins over millions of years despite a shift from a naked to an enveloped capsid. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 9...

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the detection of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 story, prior COVID-19 infection associated with increased risk of newly diagnosed erectile dysfunction, adverse maternal, fetal, and newborn outcomes among pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infectio...

TWiV reveals how treatment with remdesivir for COVID-19 resolved a chronic poliovirus infection in an immunocompromised patient, and the finding that infection with SARS-CoV-2 leads to an increase in new and preexisting autoantibodies. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode •Register for  ASV 2023 • MicrobeTV Discord Se...

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses clearance of longstanding, immune-deficiency-associated, vaccine-derived poliovirus infection following remdesivir therapy for chronic SARS-CoV-2 infection, SARS-CoV-2 exposure in New York City rats, clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Delta and Omicron variant-dominant periods in Korea, exhaled...

On this episode of TWiV, the observation that the 1918 influenza virus is not lethal in nonhuman primates and implications for studies on viral virulence, and mRNA vaccines that control and resolve human papillomavirus-associated cancers in mice. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode •Register for  ASV 2023 • MicrobeTV...

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses confronting the evolution and expansion of anti-vaccine activism in the USA in the COVID-19 era, the effectiveness of maternal Influenza vaccination in Peru, characteristics and predictors of persistent symptoms post-COVID-19 in children and young people, parental nonadherence to health policy recommendations for prevention of COVID-19 transmissi...

TWiV to explains a study on presence of COVID-19 vaccine mRNA in the blood, and the isolation of cross-protective monoclonal antibodies against common endemic respiratory viruses. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode •Register for  ASV 2023 • MicrobeTV Discord Server • Paul Berg obituary •Spike mRNA in blood (J Path M...

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses FDA authorizing the first over-the-counter at-home test to detect both influenza and COVID-19, monoclonal antibody for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants and children, epidemiologic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant variant XBB.1.5, COVID-19 vaccines vs pediatric hospitalization, maternal SARS-CoV-2 vaccina...

Arturo Casadevall returns to TWiV to explain the use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 patients, and the need to support virology at a time when more regulation of experiments is envisioned. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , and Rich Condit Guest: Arturo Casadevall Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode Re...

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses the efficacy and safety of two RSV vaccines in older adults, health care vaccine mandate remains as some push for an end, past SARS-CoV-2 infection protection against re-infection, a third vaccine dose equalizes the levels of effectiveness and immunogenicity of heterologous or homologous COVID-19 vaccine regimens, Sotrovimab retains activity agai...

TWiV reviews an outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Equatorial Guinea, wild poliovirus type 3 shedding from a laboratory in the Netherlands, and white-tailed deer as a reservoir for previous SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello ,  Dickson Despommier , and  Rich Condit Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for...

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses the political polarization of COVID-19 treatments among physicians and laypeople in the United States, seven alternatives to evidence-based medicine, Malawi's cholera death toll crosses 1,300 in its deadliest outbreak on record, impact of coronavirus infections on pediatric patients at a tertiary pediatric hospital, maternal mRNA COVID-19 vaccina...

Scott returns to TWiV to explain the development of an experimental mRNA vaccine that encodes hemagglutinin antigens against all known influenza A virus subtypes and influenza B virus lineages, and why he is worried about avian H5N1 influenza virus. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello ,  Dickson Despommier , and  Brianne Barker Guest:  Scott Hensley Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RS...

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses the consistency of COVID-19 trial preprints with published reports and impact for decision making, the negative effect of preexisting immunity on Influenza vaccine responses transcends the impact of vaccine formulation type and vaccination history, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in farmed minks in Spain, Peru confirms H...

TWiV explains the recent meeting of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) where stricter guidelines for research involving human, animal, and plant pathogens were considered, and how the consumption of viruses by small protists returns energy to food chains. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free):  Apple...

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses prevalence and clinical outcomes of respiratory syncytial virus versus influenza virus in adults hospitalized with acute respiratory Illness, reconsideration of antinucleocapsid IgG antibody as a marker of SARS-CoV-2 infection postvaccination for mild COVID-19 patients, assessment of COVID-19 as the underlying cause of death among children and yo...

Paul Offit returns to TWiV to unpack the recent FDA Advisory Panel on COVID vaccines, with discussions on giving everyone the same bivalent vaccine, simplifying the immunization schedule, and how to know when the vaccine should be updated. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit Guest: Paul Offit Subscribe (free):  Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Lin...

TWiV gives an update on poliovirus in wastewater, and reveals a vast world of viroids that infect a wide range of host species in diverse ecosystems. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello ,  Alan Dove ,  Rich Condit , and  Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free):  Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode •Research assistant position at FDA ( pdf ) •Register...