TWiV 712: Deutscher Virus Wahnsinn

TWiV reviews heterosexual transmission of clade I Mpox virus, continued circulation of oropouche virus in South America, herpesviruses in South American fur seals and sea lions, sex-specific differences in physiological responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, underdetected dispersal and extensive local transmission drove the 2022 mpox epidemic, and a humanized mouse model for adenovirus-associated virus gene therapy.

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 Server
• MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
• Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
• The New City by Dickson Despommier
• Heterosexual transmission of clade I Mpox virus (Emerg Inf Dis)
• Continued circulation of oropouche virus (PAHO and WHO)
• Herpesviruses in fur seals and sea lions (PLoS One)
• Sex-specific effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PLoS One)
• Drivers of 2022 Mpox virus epidemic (Cell)
• How AAV gene transfer works (YouTube)
• Humanized mouse model for AAV gene therapy (Nat Comm)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Baden Powell – Manha de Carneval
Angela – Upcoming Health & Fitness podcast from MicrobeTV
Rich – Mark Smith Photography
Alan – OpenVertebrate (and Science article on it)
Vincent – Veterinary apparel for the veterinary nerd

Listener Pick

Anne – Why Reed Jobs is betting on cancer innovations

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV discusses effectiveness of this season’s flu vaccine, efficacy of Pfizer RSV vaccine, nOPV2 in the US, dengue in Peru, measles in Michigan and Indiana, how coordinated inflammatory responses dictate control of Marburg virus by reservoir bats, and tRNA acquisition in phages driven by degradation of host translational machinery.

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

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
• Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
• The New City by Dickson Despommier
• Effectiveness of flu vaccine (MMWR, Eurosurveill)
• Efficacy of Pfizer RSV vaccine (Pfizer)
• Understanding six types of vaccine technologies (Pfizer)
• nOPV in US? (CDC)
• Dengue in Peru (Peruvian State)
• Measles in Michigan and Indiana
• Marburg virus control by reservoir bats (Nat Commun)
• tRNA acquisition by phages (Cell)
• Viruses of Microbes 2024
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne – The reappearance of Lake Manly
Kathy – “Practical Playbook for Addressing Health Misinformation”
Rich – Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart
Jolene – Thinking Like a Phage by Merry Youle
Vincent – The Science of Leap Year

Listener Picks

Blog design – Anthony Fauci will reflect on his long government career in ‘On Call,’ to be published in June
Peter – Republican warns of vaccines being slipped into vegetables: ‘A polio vaccine in there’

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 before discussing new vaccine guidelines released by the advisory committee on immunization practices, and reviews the CDC guidelines for quarantine/ isolation following SARS-CoV-2 infection, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, the role of IFN-g in long COVID, if the brain-blood-barrier is compromised in long COVID, meaning of persistent community SARS-CoV-2 RNA findings, and the effects of hyperbaric oxygen on post COVID neurocognition.

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
• RSV surveillance  (CDC)
• RSV national trend (CDC)
• RSV vaccination stats (CIDRAP)
• Influenza/flu surveillance  (CDC)
• Influenza/flu map (CDC)
• COVID-19  hospital admissions (CDC)
• COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
• COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
• Variant tracker (CDC)
• Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
• ACIP COVID vaccination for seniors recommendations (CIDRAP)
• Additional vaccine doses for older adults (CDC)
• Evidence based advice from the ACIP (CDC)
• State mandates did NOT influence primary vaccination rates only boosters (PNAS)
• No nOPV2? (CDC)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
• Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED)
• How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Molunpiravir plus antibody therapy for at-risk outpatients (Nat Comm)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
• Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• Spontaneous release of IFN-g in Long COVID (Science Advances)
• Blood-brain-barrier compromise in long COVID associated cognitive impairment (Nat Neuroscience)
• Persistent community SARS-CoV-2 RNA (Nature)
• Hyberbaric oxygen therapy improves post COVID neurocognition (Scientific Reports)
• Medical study questionnaire, the SHORT form (Brandeis)
• Long term effects of hyperbaric oxygen post COVID (Scientific Reports)
• Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
• Letters read on TWiV 1092
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV reviews resurgence of Lassa fever in West Africa, at least 3 paralytic cases of cVDPV2 in Zimbabwe, CWD from eating prion-laden plants, measles in New Orleans and Broward County Florida, failure of Florida Surgeon General to support vaccination, a measles variant in Switzerland, SARS-CoV-2 persistent infections, leaky blood-brain-barrier for long COVID brain fog, West Nile virus transmitted among mosquitoes by the excreta, and viroid-like colonists of human microbiomes.

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

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
• Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
• Research assistant position in Rosenfeld Lab CBER/FDA (pdf)
• The New City by Dickson Despommier
• Viruses of Microbes 2024
• Resurgence of Lassa fever (Science)
• cVDPV2 in Zimbabwe (UNICEF)
• CWD from eating plants (CIDRAP)
• Measles in New Orleans (LA Dept Health)
• SARS-CoV-2 persistent infections (Nature)
• Leaky BBB for brain fog of long COVID (Nat Neurosci)
• Measles in Broward County FL (7 News)
• Failure of FL Surgeon General to support vaccination (X)
• Measles variant (Eurosurveillance)
• West Nile virus transmitted among mosquitos by excreta (bioRxiv)
• Mosquito life cycle (YouTube)
• Viroid-like colonists of human microbiomes (bioRxiv)
• Letters read on TWiV 1091
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Sustainable energy in America 2024 factbook
Kathy – Life Magnified USPS stamps
Rich – “How plants communicate with each other when in danger” by Kasha Patel (Original Nature Communications article)
Alan – A Sargasso Sea of Space card game.
Vincent – Tell Me When It’s Over by Paul Offit

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus before discussing uptake of the RSV vaccine Abrysvo or the monoclonal anti-RSV antibody nirsevimab to prevent severe disease following RSV infection in infants 8 months or younger before going over this week’s influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus statistics, including all circulating variants in the US, examines if self-testing is more accurate than clinician administered Binax rapid diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection, if N95 masks need a yearly fitting, how SARS-CoV-2 vaccination impacts the prevalence of long COVID, reviews the CDC guidelines for quarantine/ isolation following SARS-CoV-2 infection, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, why determining the exact number of long COVID incidences is challenging, how the incidence and predictors for fatiguing illness following SARS-CoV-2 infection may used to reenforce the need for public health actions to prevent virus infection and the risks of respiratory pathologies including lung cancer associate with SARS-C0V-2 infection.

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• Respiratory disease surveillance (CDC)
• RSV surveillance  (CDC)
• RSV national trend (CDC)
• RSV vaccination stats (CIDRAP)
• Abrysvo vaccine stats (Axios)
• RSV vaccination dashboard (CDC)
• Influenza/flu surveillance  (CDC)
• Influenza/flu map (CDC)
• COVID-19  hospital admissions (CDC)
• COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
• COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
• Variant tracker (CDC)
• Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
• Who is more accurate the clinician or the self for BinaxNow rapid testing (ASM Spectrum)
• Annual N95 fitting (Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology)
• How vaccination impacts long COVID prevalence (Annals of Epidemiology)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
• Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED)
• How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
• Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• Long COVID in adults (MMWR)
• Estimating and predicting fatiguing illness after SARS-CoV-2 infection (EIS)
• Long term risks of respiratory disease following SARS-CoV-2 infection (eClinical Medicine)
• Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
• Letters read on TWiV 1080
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV reviews a fatal Alaskapox case, MERS in Kenya, diagnostic tests for Nipah and Lassa diseases, HPV vaccination rates in the US, cases of measles in Arizona and Minnesota, hepatitis C virus-derived RNA circles in infected cells, and prevention of respiratory virus transmission by resident memory CD8+ T cells.

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

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
• Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
• Research assistant position in Rosenfeld Lab CBER/FDA (pdf)
• The New City by Dickson Despommier
• Viruses of Microbes 2024
• Fatal case of Alaskapox (AK Beacon)
• MERS in Kenya (Emerg Inf Dis)
• Diagnostic tests for Nipah and Lassa (CEPI)
• Measles in Arizona and Minnesota
• HCV-derived circular RNAs (PNAS)
• Resident memory CD8 T cells prevent respiratory virus transmission (Nature)
• Letters read on TWiV 1089 1:24:33
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Visualizing Science: Illustration and Beyond
Brianne – Vaccination from the Misinformation Virus and Invisible Corps
Alan – Preventing needlephobia in kids
Vincent – Two new Djs I discovered Rosana Nun and Sunset Cartel

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 use of monoclonal antibody therapy to prevent RSV hospitalization of infants and use of GSK’s RSV vaccine Arexy to prevent severe disease following RSV infection in adults between 50-59 years before he reviews recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus, including all circulating variants in the US, discusses if how the influenza vaccine is manufactured can reprogram the antibody response, cardiovascular consequences of influenza infection, mortality of chikungunya virus infection, if an alternative vaccination schedule impacts the anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response, dispels the myth that increased mortality correlated with the first vaccine dose, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how manage long COVID including prevent burnout and compassion fatigue of caring for long COVID patients, whether the CDC or WHO definition of long COVID is beneficial or the use of directed questions, baselines test and listening to the patient tell their story are beneficial in making a long COVID diagnosis.

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• Nirsevimab immunoprophylaxis to prevent RSV hospitalization (Eurosurveillance.)
• Arexvy given Priority Review in US for the prevention of RSV disease in adults aged 50-59 (GSK)
• Respiratory  disease surveillance (CDC)
• RSV surveillance  (CDC)
• RSV national trend (CDC)
• Can antibodies be redirected from egg adapted epitopes using recombinant or cell cultured based influenza vaccines (Nat)
• Can influenza infection lead to cardiovascular events (JID)
• Risk of death after chikungunya infection and disease (Lancet)
• Influenza/flu surveillance (CDC)
• Influenza/flu map (CDC)
• COVID-19  hospital admissions (CDC)
• COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
• COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
• Variant tracker (CDC) 
• Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
• Alternative intervals between vaccine doses (Nat Comm) 
• Early mortality after first vaccination dose (CID)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
• Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED) 
• How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS) 
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
• Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• Burnout compassion fatigue Long COVID (OFID) 
• Scoring PASC (JAMA) 
• What is your definition of the Long COVID (WHO)
• Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
• Letters read on TWiV 1088
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV reviews rhinovirus complications in infants, a new influenza antiviral drug, Oropouche fever in Brazil, measles in Maryland and Ohio, effect of eliminating non-medical vaccine exemptions in NY, foot-and-mouth disease in Europe, severe primary and secondary dengue infections, and therapeutic mitigation of measles-like immune amnesia and exacerbated disease after prior respiratory virus infections.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Angela Mingarelli

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• MicrobeTV store at Cafepress
• Become a member of ASV (asv.org)
• Research assistant position in Rosenfeld Lab CBER/FDA (pdf)
• The New City by Dickson Despommier
• Viruses of Microbes 2024
• Infant rhinovirus bronchiolitis contribution to hospital bed and vent use (JAMA Net Open)
• Onradivir new influenza antiviral (Lancet)
• Oropouche fever in Brazil (PAHO)
• Maryland and Ohio measles
• Repealing school vaccination exemptions (JAMA New Open)
• Increases risk of FMDV entry into Europe (pig333)
• Severe primary and secondary dengue (Nat Med)
• Mitigation of measles immune amnesia and exacerbated disease (Nat Comm)
• Letters read on TWiV 1087
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – For Your Processing Pleasure: The Sharpest Pictures of Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io in a Generation
Angela – Whale Scientists
Rich – Benefit-risk assessment of vaccines; The Brighton collaboration standardized module for vaccine benefit-risk assessment; Vaccine adverse events: causal or coincidental?; Austin area Singing Valentines
Vincent – International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11 February

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 how the pandemic influenced the healthcare job market and why people conceal their infectious diseases before he reviews most recent statistics on the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus, including all circulating variants in the US, discusses if susceptibility and disease severity are inheritable traits, if vaccination during pregnancy protects neonates or leads to adverse effects, the effectiveness of a monovalent XBB.1.5 against disease resulting from infection with Omicron variants, whether vaccination in the same or opposite arms effect antibody protection, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, how to pay for paxlovid, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, how SARS-CoV-2 infection may alter one’s sleep patterns, what the health and economic burdens of mild disease are, and if there are predictors for recovery from fatigue and cognitive deficits following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

• Do you want a job in healthcare? (JAMA)
• Why people don’t tell the truth about infectious diseases (Psychological Science)
• Respiratory  disease surveillance (CDC)
• RSV surveillance  (CDC)
• RSV national trend (CDC)
• Influenza/flu surveillance  (CDC)
• Influenza/flu map (CDC)
• COVID-19  hospital admissions (CDC)
• COVID-19 national trend (CDC)
• COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot)
• Variant tracker (CDC)
• Variant hospital admissions (CDC)
• Is susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 inheritabile (Nat Comm)
• Neonates of vaccinated mothers (JAMA)
• How is the monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection  Sept 2023-Jan 2024 (MMWR)
• Second dose in the opposite arm improves antibody response (JCI)
• Virus specific immune repsonses following contralateral or ipsilateral immunication (eBioMedicine)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• To rebound or to not rebound (MMWR)
• Know your COVID-19 tools (ESMED)
• How to pay for Paxlovid (PAXCESS)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety)
• Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• How COVID-19 affected your sleep (Frontiers in Public Health)
• Health and economic burden of COVID-19 after illness (BMC Medicine)
• Predicting recovery from fatigue and cognitive deficits after COVID-19 (eClinical Medicine)
• Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB
• Letters read on TWiV 1086
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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