This Week in Virology

In COVID-19 clinical update #63, Daniel Griffin reviews cases at child care facilities, estimates of mRNA vaccine effectiveness, risk of reinfection in university students, enhanced antibody generation with extended interval of mRNA vaccination, no benefit of convalescent plasma in hospitalized patients, and risk of clinical sequelae after acute infection. Hosts:  Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racani...

TWiV reveals that 2% of SARS-CoV-2−positive individuals carry 90% of the virus circulating in a college campus, and a nanoparticle vaccine that induces cross-reactive immunity against multiple pandemic and pre-emergent coronaviruses. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV!...

TWiV returns to the 2012 brouhaha over transmission experiments with avian H5N1 influenza virus, re-examines the claim of SARS-CoV-2 RNA integration into human DNA, and reviews the engineering and testing of a genetically stable version of the attenuated type 2 Sabin poliovirus vaccine. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Amy Rosenfeld Subscribe (free): ...

In COVID-19 clinical update #62, Daniel Griffin covers outdoor transmission of the virus, safe use of NSAIDS, expansion of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to include 12-15 year olds, post-disease Mucormycosis, and hydroxychloroquine treatment associated with increased mortality. Hosts:  Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of ...

TWiV discusses the finding that the envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is sensed by toll-like receptor 2 on cells, leading to the production of inflammatory cytokines that cause damage to cells and tissues in COVID-19. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this...

TWiV revisits Brazil's rejection of Sputnik vaccine, examines influenza transmission via the air from the nasal epithelium of ferrets, and a history of accidental releases of polioviruses and their relevance for eradication of poliomyelitis. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Be...

In COVID-19 clinical update #61, Daniel Griffin reviews a modeling of future hospitalizations and deaths by vaccination rates and non pharmaceutical intervention scenarios, performance evaluation of rapid antigen tests, children making up a growing share of new cases, antibody response to mRNA vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients, and outcomes in hospitalized patients treated with tocilizu...

TWiV examines the claim by Brazil's ANVISA that the Sputnik vaccine contains replication-competent adenovirus, and a role for the furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 spike for efficient reproduction in the respiratory tract, evasion of antiviral IFITM proteins, and transmission in ferrets. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Rich Condit , and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  R...

The TWiVmeisters discuss how copy-back defective viral genomes might modulate the clinical outcome of respiratory syncytial virus infection, and detection of antibodies to henipa- and filo-like viruses in Trinidad bats. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWi...

In COVID-19 clinical update #60, Daniel Griffin summarizes CDC guidance for summer camps, how to protect yourself when fully vaccinated, updated recommendation for J&J vaccine, declining global case fatality rate, and characterization of post-acute sequelae. Hosts:  Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links f...

A TWiV trio explains a method for sequencing single genomes of SARS-CoV-2 and its use to explore in-host evolution drive by antibody responses, and incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis in COVID-19 patients and vaccine recipients. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this epis...

Daniel Griffin discusses a front-line health care worker survey, pre-exposure seropositivity and subsequent infection in healthy young adults, fitted filtration efficiency of double masking, BinaxNow rapid in-home antigen test, postvaccination infections in a nursing facility, safety of mRNA vaccine in pregnant women, case control study of Bamlanivimab, no evidence for brain infection in patients...

Team TWiV explains how alphaviruses like Western equine encephalitis virus cross into the brain from capillaries by caveolin-mediated transcytosis, and reveal scientists' incentives and attitudes towards public communication. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , Kathy Spindler , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV!...

Nadine Lamberski joins TWiV to discuss an outbreak of COVID-19 among gorillas at the San Diego Zoo, and the use of a spike protein-based vaccine to immunize the animals. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Kathy Spindler , and Brianne Barker Guest: Nadine Lamberski Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode Gorillas receive C...

In COVID-19 clinical update #58, Daniel Griffin provides the latest update on the J&J vaccine pause, healthcare worker deaths, children and COVID, physical inactivity associated with higher risk, using monoclonal antibodies for prophylaxis, and shows us how to properly wear a face mask. Hosts:  Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Becom...

The TWiVsters explain how the shape of pleomorphic virus particles – spherical or filamentous – determines the probability of virus attachment and fusion, and resistance to selective pressure such as antibodies that block cell entry. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Rich Condit , and Amy Rosenfeld Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWi...

TWiV reviews a drug screen for inhibitors of syncytium formation, the fusing of cells caused by SARS-CoV-2, which reveals that the process is regulated by a calcium-activated ion channel and scramblase that is inhibited by the anti-parasite drug Niclosamide. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become...

In COVID-19 clinical update #57, Daniel Griffin covers children and MIS-C, school opening plans, transmission event with masks, fomite transmission, diagnostic test performance, AZ vaccine and blood clots, and long COVID and the effect of vaccines. Hosts:  Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this ep...

The Guardians of the TWiV-o-verse discuss the process of codon deoptimization for the production of experimental infectious attenuated viral vaccines, and how a respiratory syncytial virus with 619 base changes was rescued by genomes with very large internal deletions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Go...

Arturo Casadevall joins TWiV to discuss the use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19, including a history of the process, how plasma is prepared and tested, why it is difficult to conduct randomized clinical trials, how this treatment has fared and his hopes for the future. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Guest: Arturo Casadevall Subscribe (free):  iTun...

In COVID-19 clinical update #56, Daniel Griffin note increasing hospitalization in children and young adults, Pfizer vaccine efficacy results in 12-15 year olds, rapid self administered nucleic acid and antigen tests, mRNA vaccine efficacy in real world conditions, and improvement of long COVID after vaccination. Hosts:  Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Pod...

John, Monica, and Davida join TWiV to discuss development of a method to detect SARS-CoV-2 in raw sewage from all 14 of New York City's treatment plants, and its use to determine the presence of the genome throughout the pandemic and detection of genome mutations from variants of concern. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Rich Condit , and Kathy Spindler Guest: John Dennehy , Davida...

Alessandro Sette joins TWiV to discuss the role of T cells in COVID-19, the finding that amino acid changes in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have a negligible impact on T cell reactivity in convalescent patients and vaccinees, and whether a next generation vaccine should include more viral proteins than spike. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Kathy Spindler Guest: Alessan...

In COVID-19 clinical update #55, Daniel Griffin reviews recommendations for keeping transmission low in school settings, optimal testing strategies for schools and businesses, impact of vaccines on asymptomatic infections, vaccine safety in PASC patients, and early use of aspirin associated with decreased mortality. Hosts:  Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google...

Susan Weiss returns to TWiV to discuss coronavirus entry into cells and the role of spike protein cleavage by proteases, why lab escaped hypotheses for SARS-CoV-2 are unlikely, and modulation of innate immune responses during infection. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Alan Dove , Brianne Barker , and Amy Rosenfeld Guest: Susan Weiss Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS , ...