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This Week in Virology: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Vincent Racaniello
TWiV is a weekly netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick. Professors Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and science writer Alan Dove and guests deconstruct viruses, how they cause illness, and dissect the latest research.
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- Today1h 10m
TWiV 1359: SSPE, the Long Shadow of Measles
Roberto Cattaneo and Kalpana Yadav join TWiV at the 2026 meeting of the American Society for Virology to discuss how the absence of measles virus receptors in the brain selects for hyperfusogenic variants that spread neuron-to-neuron and cause subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a rare but fatal long-term neurological sequela of measles infection. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Roberto Cattaneo and Kalpana Yadav Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV How measles virus adapts to the brain (Ann Rev Virol) Measles virus F50S change in neuronal spread (J Virol) Measles virus collective infectious unit and SSPE (J Virol) Measles virus brain tropism acquisition (PLoS Path) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.
- Yesterday53 min
TWiV 1358: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are angered by the continuous reporting of measles deaths in the US and around the world, the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, changes in reporting of virus infection and vaccine recommendations, establishing an NIH research center on vaccine harms, Legionnaires at Yankee stadium and the first time in more than half a century reporting of an equine screwworm case, and how HHS may prevent more than half of US children from getting the COVID-19 vaccine this season before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, efficacy and safety of the 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Unvaccinated Woman Likely Died of Measles Complications, Pa. County Coroner Says NY Times) Confirmed death of an 18-year old due to complications of measles (Facebook: Mifflin County Coroner’s Office) CDC’s new tracking method for measles deaths puzzles experts (CIDRAP) Kennedy to deliver keynote for anti-vaccine group he once led (STATNews) Exclusive: New NIH research center on vaccine harms takes shape (Science) US pediatricians report seeing fewer patients because of immigration enforcement worries (CIDRAP) Surgeon General Nominee Pledges Support for Vaccines in Senate Hearing (NY Times) CIDRAP Op-Ed: HHS is asking what to call vaccine recommendations. You have 4 days to weigh in. (CIDRAP) 21,000 Unvaccinated Children Are Not a Minor Problem, But a Warning Sign (GPEI) Researchers file First Amendment challenge to NIH grant screening (Science) Cooling towers at Yankee Stadium test positive for Legionnaires’ in new cluster (NBC News) Legionnaires’ Disease (NYC: Health) Dashboard SCREWWORM.Gov (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for New World Screwworm Response (CDC Newroom) Texas ranch horse becomes nation’s <a hr
- 1 weeks ago1h 44m
TWiV 1357: Furin, Naturally with Paul Bieinasz
Paul Bieniasz joins TWiV to discuss his lab’s discovery that the coronavirus nuclease NSP15 cuts viral RNA into oligonucleotides that are reinserted elsewhere in the viral RNA, generating insertion mutations at a frequency above 10⁻³ per genome, including new furin cleavage sites at the spike S1/S2 junction. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV Genetic innovation in coronaviruses driven by a viral nuclease (bioRxiv) Letters read on TWiV 1357 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Picks of the Week Kathy – Jurassic Museum of Asturias Alan – Grand Central Winter, by Lee Stringer Vincent – How to Choose REAL Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Practical Guide and How to Tell if Your Olive Oil is Fake! Quick Kitchen Tip! Listener Pick Shirley – I Told You So! by Matt Kaplan Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.
- 1 weeks ago47 min
TWiV 1356: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello delve into dengue virus infections in Florida, recent human rabies infections in the US, proposed changes in biomedical funding including “converting” the Department of War into NIAID, the continuing controversy over the deaths of 2 children in Pennsylvania from measles, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, approval of new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by the FDA, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Dengue in Florida: Florida Arbovirus Surveillance (Florida Health) Nationwide Increase in Reported Human Rabies Exposures: Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis Administration (CDC: Health Alert Network) NIH proposes major revamp of how it scores research grant proposals (Nature) Revealed: inside the US military’s plan to tap huge sums from the NIH (Nature) Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — National Immunization Survey-Teen, United States, 2025 (CDC:MMWR) Dashboard SCREWWORM.Gov (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for New World Screwworm Response (CDC Newroom) Ebola dashboard (ebola.fyi) EBOLA: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2026 (WHO) Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak Democratic Republic of the Congo (WHO: Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation (CDC:Ebola) Notes from the Field: Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Ebola Disease Caused by Bundibugyo Virus — Uganda, 2026 (CDC: MMWR) Notes from the Field: Characteristics and Monitoring of the 2026 Outbreak of Ebola Disease Caused by Bundibugyo Virus — Democratic Republic of the Congo, August 2026 (CDC:MMWR) <a href= "https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tracker/?charts=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
- 2 weeks ago1h 38m
TWiV 1355: Four billion years of AI training data
TWiV reviews a landmark paper reporting the first generative design of complete viral genomes using AI, producing 16 viable bacteriophages that overcame antibiotic-resistant bacteria where natural phages could not, and a study suggesting that recombinant shingles vaccination reduces the risk of cardiovascular events. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV Recombinant shingles vaccination reduces risk of cardiovascular events (Nat Med) AI design of bacteriophages (Science) AI-designed viral genomes (Science) Letters read on TWiV 1355 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Picks of the Week Brianne – The Generative AI Learning Penalty: Evidence from Chinese Secondary Education Kathy – Ballista spider’s web to trap aggressive ants here and here Vincent – Microbecharmer from Sarah Listener Pick Shirley – The Measles-Stricken Mother Who Lost Her Newborn Son Torsten – The battle over Covid’s origins has come for Bob Garry: A Top Virus Scientist Stared Down Covid Lab-Leak Proponents. Now His Life’s Work Is at Stake Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.
- 2 weeks ago1h 5m
TWiV 1354: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello remember Dolly Parton and her patronage of science, especially development of the COVID-19 vaccines, if the shingles vaccine protect against cardiovascular events as well as dementia, the continued national cyclosporiasis and screwworm outbreaks, size of the Ebola outbreak in the Congo, the death of 2 children in Pennsylvania from measles and the economic cost of the measles outbreak, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into how to determine the case fatality rate of measles as well as measles outbreaks, recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, approval of new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by the FDA, access and how pay for Paxlovid, where to go for answers about long COVID-19, clinical guidelines for treating long COVID, B-cells-autoimmunity- long COVID, enrolling in a long COVID trial and the use of the COVID antiviral drug to “sop up” chronic virus shedding and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Dolly Parton adapts her song Jolene as she receives Covid-19 vaccine she helped fund (YouTube) Dolly Parton’s major contributions to vaccines and public health (the bmj) Recombinant shingles vaccination and the risk of cardiovascular events (Nature Medicine) Surveillance of Cyclosporiasis (CDC: Cyclosporiasis) Infectious DiseaseOutbreaks (Michigan: Health & Human Services) Cyclosporiasis Cases in North Carolina (North Carolina: Division of Public Health) Cyclospora Infection (Cyclosporiasis) (NYC Health) Missouri Communicable Disease Report (2026) (Missouri Health) TWiP 285: Why is cyclospora hard to contain: Parasitologists explain the 2026 US outbreak (microbeTV:TWiP) Dashboard SCREWWORM.Gov (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for New World Screwworm Response (CDC Newroom) FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Generic Drug to Prevent New World Screwworm in Cattle(FDA) History of Ebola Outbreaks (CDC: Ebola) Democratic Republic of the Congo (OCHA) Ebola dashboard (ebola.fyi) EBOLA: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2026 (WHO) Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak Democratic Republic of the Congo(WHO: Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola Outbreak: <a href= "http
- 3 weeks ago1h 52m
TWiV 1353: Phage bet-hedging and EBV antibodies
TWiV explores how bacteriophages enable bet-hedge against bacterial immune defenses, and how transgenic mice engineered to produce human antibodies yielded potent anti-EBV candidates targeting gp350 and gp42, a promising step toward Epstein-Barr therapeutics. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Brianne Barker, and Jolene Ramsey Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV Dolly Parton, and advocate for science (Nature) Phage bet-hedging (Nat Micro) EBV monoclonal antibodies (Cell Rep Med) Letters read on TWiV 1353 Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Picks of the Week Brianne – Did life on Earth emerge once or twice? Rich – Cassini Approaches Saturn (Wiki on Cassini) Jolene – Dolly Parton’s rewrite of Jolene song for vaccines on CBS news (Youtube) Vincent – Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Listener Pick John – Dolly Parton Sings Vaccine, Vaccine Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.
- 3 weeks ago48 min
TWiV 1352: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are disheartened by the suggested change in federal vaccine recommendations, how Florida rolled back 4 childhood vaccine school requirements, results from a clinical trial suggesting that IPV can be used for outbreak control in IPV only countries, the continued national cyclosporiasis and screwworm outbreaks, size of the Ebola outbreak in the Congo, the death of 2 children in Pennsylvania from measles and the economic cost of the measles outbreak before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the use of monoclonal antibodies and remdesivir to treat Bundibugyo virus infection, measles outbreak, recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, access and how pay for Paxlovid, , where to go for answers about long COVID-19, clinical guidelines for treating long COVID, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Request for Information: Categories Used in Federal Vaccine Recommendations and the Role of Shared Clinical Decision-Making (Federal Register) HHS Seeks Public Input on Federal Vaccine Recommendation Categories and Shared Clinical Decision-Making (US Department of Health and Human Services) HPV Vaccination and Risk of Head and Neck Cancers: A Large Real-World Cohort Study (International Society for Infectious Diseases) Monkeypox Virus Surveillance — United States, 2024–2025 (CDC: MMWR) Clinical Trials (ClinicalTrials.gov) Effect of inactivated poliovirus vaccine on nasal mucosal immunity and pharyngeal shedding following novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 challenge: A randomized, open-label trial (JID) IPOL package insert (FDA) Florida Prepares to Roll Back School Vaccine Requirements (NOTUS) Florida’s Department of Health removes 4 vaccines from required list for public schools (CIDRAP) Surveillance of Cyclosporiasis (CDC: Cyclosporiasis) Infectious Disease Outbreaks (Michigan: Health & Human Services) Cyclosporiasis Cases in North Carolina (North Carolina: Division of Public Health) Cyclospora Infection (Cyclosporiasis) (NYC Health) Missouri Communicable Disease Report (2026) (Missouri Health) TWiP 285: Why is <a
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About This Week in Virology
TWiV is a weekly netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick. Professors Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and science writer Alan Dove and guests deconstruct viruses, how they cause illness, and dissect the latest research.
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