This Week in Virology

TWiV reviews ban on gain-of-function research by the House, chronic wasting disease in Tennessee deer, nOPV2 causing paralysis in children, and an outbreak of feline infectious peritonitis in Cyprus caused by a new recombinant coronavirus. 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 MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressTravel AwardspdfThe New City gain-of-function researchunder the microscope CWD detectedPolio eradicationcauses polio nOPV2 recombinant coronavirus kills thousands of catsTWiV 963Letters readJolene Weekly Picks Dickson – Climate Action and How to find joy in climate action Brianne – A Virus that Generates Electricity Kathy – Intolerable Genius: Berkeley’s most controversial Nobel laureate Rich – Programmed DNA Elimination (PDE): Quanta; Current Biology Alan – KBDfans mechanical keyboard kits Vincent – The Covid Vaccine Windfall Turns for Pfizer and Moderna Listener Picks Meika – Iceland Eruption or not? Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses progress toward measles elimination, risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 despite vaccination in patients requiring treatment with immune-suppressive drugs, symptoms, viral loads, and rebound among COVID-19 outpatients treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir compared to propensity score matched untreated individuals, late administration and corticosteroid usage explain inefficacy in COVID-19 convalescent plasma trial, higher-dose fluvoxamine and time to sustained recovery in outpatients with COVID-19, recombinant C1 inhibitor in the prevention of severe COVID-19, and Epstein-Barr virus reactivation is not causative for post-COVID-19-syndrome in individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 disease course. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Progressimmune-suppressive drugs Symptoms, viral loads, and reboundCOVID-19 convalescent plasma trialHigher-dose fluvoxaminesevere COVID-19 Epstein-Barr virus reactivationMicrobeTV fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Kevin Messacar visits the Incubator to discuss his career as a pediatric infectious disease physician, and his work on enteroviruses that are associated with acute flaccid myelitis and other diseases. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: Kevin Messacar Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressTravel AwardspdfEV-D682014 outbreakhouseholdsEV-A71 outbreak Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses coverage with selected vaccines and exemption from school vaccine requirements among children in kindergarten, seasonality of endemic COVID-19, mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination before vs during pregnancy and omicron infection among infants, extracting symptoms from free-text responses using ChatGPT among COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong, SARS-CoV-2 virologic rebound with nirmatrelvir–ritonavir therapy, optimization of antiviral therapy in immunocompromised COVID-19 patients, a study to learn about the study medicines (nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir) in people aged 12 years or older with COVID-19 and a compromised immune system, evaluation of the safety profile and therapeutic efficacy of Remdesivir in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, effect of neutralizing monoclonal antibody treatment on early trajectories of virologic and immunologic biomarkers in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 virologic rebound with nirmatrelvir–ritonavir therapy. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Coverageendemic COVID-19 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccinationCOVID-19 casesSARS-CoV-2 virologicCOVID-19 patientsnirmatrelvir/ritonavirEvaluationmonoclonal antibody treatmentSARS-CoV-2MicrobeTV fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV reveals a prediction of the expected endemic seasonality of COVID-19, based on circulation of human coronaviruses, and ecological clearance of vaccine-targeted human papillomaviruses and an increase in circulation of non-targeted virus types. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressTravel AwardspdfThe New CitySeasonalitynon-vaccine targeted HPVsTWiV 126Letters readJolene Weekly Picks Dickson – 2023 expected to be hottest year on record after warmest October ever Kathy – You can see the ISS toolbag with binoculars, Billy Collins wikipedia, What dogs think (probably) Alan – Landmark case to get sanitation declared a civil right Vincent – SciComm Studios Listener Picks Charmaine – Petition fo National Science Appreciation Day Peter – Let’s eradicate polio this winter Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses stress in America 2023, CDC expanding testing of international air traveler samples to include flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses, missed opportunities for preventing congenital syphilis, intrinsic and effective severity of COVID-19 cases infected with the ancestral strain and omicron BA.2 variant in Hong Kong, T-cell immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 measured by an interferon-γ release assay is strongly associated with patient outcomes in vaccinated persons hospitalized with delta or omicron variants, masks during pandemics caused by respiratory pathogens, behavioral factors and SARS-CoV-2 transmission heterogeneity within a household cohort in Costa Rica, convalescent plasma for Covid-19–induced ARDS in mechanically ventilated patients, and olfactory and gustatory function 3 years after mild COVID-19. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Stress CDCcongenital syphilis Intrinsic and effective severityrespiratory pathogensBehavioral factorsmechanically ventilated patients Olfactory and gustatory functionMicrobeTV fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

On this episode of TWiV we discuss unusual properties of monoclonal antibodies: one that that binds the receptor attachment site and blocks infection with all three poliovirus serotypes, and others that inhibit Ebolavirus spread from cell to cell. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Angela Mingarelli Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressTravel AwardspdfMonoclonal antibody neutralizesintercellular spreadLetters readJolene Weekly Picks Dickson – Climate Science Angela – Spider Ballooning (Wikipedia) Kathy – Richard Harris Art Collection Rich – “The Murderbot Diaries” by Martha Wells Alan – Old Gods of Appalachia Vincent – Poetry Foundation Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses health worker–perceived working conditions and symptoms of poor mental health, Mpox neutralizing antibodies at 6 months from mpox infection or MVA-BN vaccination, newborn and early infant outcomes following maternal COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, duration of SARS-CoV-2 culturable virus shedding in children, prescribing outcomes in outpatients treated with nirmatrelvir–ritonavir for COVID-19 in an interdisciplinary community clinic, Nirmatrelvir and molnupiravir and post-COVID-19 condition in older patients, optimal duration of systemic corticosteroids in COVID-19 treatment, association between Guillain-Barré syndrome and COVID-19 infection and vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 infection correlates with male benign prostatic hyperplasia deterioration, Transplanting candidates with COVID-19, and favorable experience of transplant strategy including liver grafts from COVID-19 donors. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode RoutineGroup A Streptococcus Nirmatrelvir/ritonavircompared RemdesivirPost–COVID-19 conditionsMicrobeTV fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Klaus Früh visits the Incubator to discuss his career and his work on cytomegalovirus-vectored vaccines which are unique in their ability to persistently maintain an immune shield of effector memory T cells, including highly unconventional MHC-II and MHC-E restricted CD8+ T cells. Host: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Guest: Klaus Früh Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressvaccinated.uspdfHCMV-basedsuppress HIV-1 infectionRhCMV/SIV vaccineJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses health worker–perceived working conditions and symptoms of poor mental health, Mpox neutralizing antibodies at 6 months from mpox infection or MVA-BN vaccination, newborn and early infant outcomes following maternal COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, duration of SARS-CoV-2 culturable virus shedding in children, prescribing outcomes in outpatients treated with nirmatrelvir–ritonavir for COVID-19 in an interdisciplinary community clinic, Nirmatrelvir and molnupiravir and post-COVID-19 condition in older patients, optimal duration of systemic corticosteroids in COVID-19 treatment, association between Guillain-Barré syndrome and COVID-19 infection and vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 infection correlates with male benign prostatic hyperplasia deterioration, Transplanting candidates with COVID-19, and favorable experience of transplant strategy including liver grafts from COVID-19 donors. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Health workermpox infection Newborn and early infant outcomesculturable virus shedding Prescribing outcomespost–COVID-19 conditionOptimal durationCOVID-19 Associationmale benign prostatic hyperplasia deteriorationTransplantingCOVID-19 donorsFloating Doctors fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Vincent travels to the University of Vermont to speak with Jason, Emily, Jessica, and Dimitry about their careers and their work on SARS-CoV-2, hantaviruses, poliovirus, influenza virus, and the involvement of viruses in the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Jason Botten, Emily Bruce, Jessica Crothers, and Dimitry Krementsov Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressvaccinated.uspdfSARS-CoV-2 plasmid DNApoliovirus vaccineNo SARS-CoV-2 RNAPredicting SARS-CoV-2 infectivityJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses high Influenza incidence and disease severity among children and adolescents aged <18 years, neurologic effects of SARS-CoV-2 transmitted among dogs, effectiveness of monovalent mRNA vaccines against Omicron XBB infection in Singaporean children younger than 5 years, the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine in the prevention of post-COVID conditions, incidence and impact of acute pericarditis in hospitalized patients with COVID‐19, serotonin reduction in post-acute sequelae of viral infection, prevalence and risk factors for long COVID and post-COVID-19 condition in Africa, safety profile and clinical and virological outcomes of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir treatment in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and COVID-19, antiviral efficacy of molnupiravir vs ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir in patients with early symptomatic COVID-19. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode High Influenza incidence and diseaseSARS-CoV-2Singaporean children EffectivenessCOVID‐19 Serotonin reductionlong COVID and post-COVID-19 Safety profilesymptomatic COVID-19Floating Doctors fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

From the Centers for Excellence in Influenza Research and Response meeting in Baltimore, Vincent speaks with Ron Fouchier, Rafael Medina, and Louse Moncla about recent changes in the epidemiology of avian H5N1 influenza virus and the threat to humans and other animals. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Ron Fouchier, Rafael Medina, and Louise Moncla Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressvaccinated.uspdfCenters for Influenza Research and ResponseTransatlantic spreadIn-host diversitymass mortality in sea lionsJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses disease severity of RSV compared with COVID-19 and Influenza among hospitalized adults aged ≥60 years, antiviral efficacy of Molnupiravir versus ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir in patients with early symptomatic COVID-19, Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir and COVID-19 mortality and hospitalization among patients with vulnerability to covid-19 complications, antibiotic use among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the United States, one week of oral Camostat vs Placebo in nonhospitalized adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, assessment of the available therapeutic approaches for severe COVID-19, optimal duration of systemic Corticosteroids in COVID-19 treatment, effect of monovalent COVID-19 vaccines on viral interference between SARS-CoV-2 and several DNA viruses in patients with long-COVID syndrome, local budesonide therapy in the management of persistent hyposmia in suspected non-severe COVID-19 patients, and the safety profile and clinical and virological outcomes of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir treatment in patients with advanced chronic Kidney disease and COVID-19. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Disease severitymolnupiravir vs ritonavir-nirmatrelvivulnerability to complications Antibiotic useCOVID-19AssessmentCOVID-19 treatmentEffectmanagement of persistent hyposmia Safety profileFloating Doctors fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV reviews the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their identification nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19, and accelerated mutation of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Angela Mingarelli Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressvaccinated.uspdfPhysiology or MedicineTWiV 860 Katalin KarikóAccelerated mutationLetters readJolene Weekly Picks Dickson – The New City. How to Build Our Sustainable Urban Future Angela – 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Alan – The Ruin of All Witches, by Malcolm Gaskill Vincent – France kicks off bird flu vaccination despite trade backlash risk Listener Pick Charles – David Brooks and the $78 airport meal the internet is talking about John – Periodic Table of the Elements: Origins of the Elements AZ – Bronze statue of laboratory mouse knitting DNA in Russia Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the effectiveness of maternal mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy against COVID-19–associated hospitalizations in infants aged <6 months during SARS-CoV-2 Omicron predominance, COVID-19 vaccination recommendations and practices for women of reproductive age by health care providers, molnupiravir for intra-household prevention of COVID-19, delayed peak SARS-CoV-2 viral loads relative to symptom onset and implications for COVID-19 testing programs, viral kinetics of sequential SARS-CoV-2 infections, FDA authorizes updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine formulated to better protect against currently circulating variants, antiviral efficacy of molnupiravir versus ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir in patients with early symptomatic COVID-19, long-term cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and other thrombotic complications in COVID-19 survivors, SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers pro-atherogenic inflammatory responses in human coronary vessels, and the efficacy of gabapentin For post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Effectivenesswomen of reproductive age MolnupiravirCOVID-19 testing programsViral kineticsNovavax COVID-19 vaccine Antiviral efficacyCOVID-19 survivorsSARS-CoV-2 infectionFloating Doctors fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV explains how immune profiling was used to identify distinguishing features of Long COVID, and how a co-opted feline endogenous retroviral envelope promotes cell survival by controlling copper transport and homeostasis in cats. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepressvaccinated.uspdfLong COVIDfeline copper homeostasisLetters readJolene Weekly Picks Brianne – Webb spots a building block of life on Jupiter’s moon Europa Rich – Are we really made of ‘star stuff?’ Learn about your body’s elements Alan – Avian flu has reached the Galàpagos Vincent – Why the US can’t have nice things Listener Pick Az – Free solo Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses a molnupiravir-associated mutational signature in global SARS-CoV-2 genomes, inhaled fluticasone furoate for outpatient treatment of COVID-19, optimal duration of systemic corticosteroids in COVID-19 treatment, early antibody treatment, inflammation, and risk of post-COVID conditions, autonomic dysregulation in long-term patients suffering from post-COVID-19 syndrome assessed by heart rate variability, and multiorgan MRI findings after hospitalization with COVID-19 in the UK. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MolnupiravirCOVID-19Optimal durationimmune profilingEarly antibody treatmentpost COVID-19 syndrome Multiorgan MRI findingsFloating Doctors fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV explains a study of postacute sequelae of COVID-19 at 2 years, and respiratory droplet transmission of human-isolated avian H3N8 influenza virus between ferrets. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord ServerCafepresspdfPostacute sequelaeDALYsH3N8 virusLetters readJolene Weekly Picks Dickson – UN Climate Action and California sues oil companies for exacerbating climate change Brianne – COVID Drugs are a Miracle Cure for Cats Rich – American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin Vincent – Free Carl Zimmer writings Listener Pick Anne – She wrote to a scientist about her fatigue. It inspired a breakthrough. Alan – This Tiny Parasitic Wasp Can Drill Through Plastic Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses wastewater surveillance data as a complement to emergency department visit data for tracking the incidence of influenza A and RSV, chatbot-delivered online intervention to promote seasonal Influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, temporal assessment of disparities in California COVID-19 mortality by industry, modeling the impact of a high-uptake bivalent booster scenario on the COVID-19 burden and healthcare costs in New York City, can high COVID-19 vaccination rates in adults help protect unvaccinated children, Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir use and hospitalizations or death in previously uninfected non-hospitalized high-risk population with COVID-19, Optimal duration of systemic corticosteroids in COVID-19 treatment, and vaccination after developing long COVID. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Wastewater surveillance dataseasonal influenza vaccination Temporal assessmentweaken guidancehigh-uptake bivalent boosterprotect unvaccinated children Paxlovid use and hospitalizationsCOVID-19 treatmentlong COVIDFloating Doctors fundraiser at PWBLetters readpdfJolene Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv