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This Week in Virology

This Week in Virology

By: Vincent Racaniello
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 TWiV is a podcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick.Vincent Racaniello 2022 Biological Sciences Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • TWiV 1247: In the company of vaccines with Stanley Plotkin

    TWiV 1247: In the company of vaccines with Stanley Plotkin
    Aug 24 2025

    Stanley Plotkin joins TWiV to recount his career as a vaccinologist, having participated in the development of vaccines for polio, rabies, and rubella, and his thoughts on the current anti-science, anti-public health, and anti-vaccine climate.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

    Guest: Stanley A. Plotkin

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Stanley Plotkin (History of Vaccines)
    • Talking about vaccines with Dr. Plotkin (CHOP)
    • Path to eradication of rubella (Vaccine)
    • Status of cytomegalovirus vaccine (J Inf Dis)
    • Human diploid cell vaccines (Dev Biol Stand)
    • IPV an essential part of polio eradication (Clin Inf Dis)
    • 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.
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    1 hr and 48 mins
  • TWiV 1246: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    TWiV 1246: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
    Aug 23 2025
    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello discusses outbreaks of Vibrio vulnificus and Legionnaire’s disease in Harlem, the role of the American Association of Pediatrics defining immunization practices, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, effective of the high and low does influenza vaccines, association Gullian-Barre syndrome with RSV vaccination, guidelines for using RSV vaccines, whether or not the NB.1.8.1 should be included in the fall 2025 vaccines, where to find PEMGARDA, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, vascular aging after COVID-19 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 Department of Public Health alerts public to rare Vibrio vulnificus bacteria in coastal waters (Mass.gov) Legionnaires’ Disease: In Harlem (NYC Health)Ivermectin to Control Malaria (NEJM)AAP has been leading voice on childhood vaccine recommendations since 1930s(American Academy of Pediatrics)The American Academy of Pediatrics Releases Its Own Evidence-Based Immunization Schedule (American Academy of Pediatrics) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada)Health Ministry says unvaccinated 18-month-old dies of measles (Times of Israel) Ten countries in the Americas report measles outbreaks in 2025 (PAHO: Pan American Health Organization)Measles (WHO)Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health)Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM)Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts (ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America)Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine)Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)Relative effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose influenza vaccine against hospitalizations and mortality according to frailty score (JID) FDA-CDC-DOD: 2025-2046 influenza vaccine composition (FDA)RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)ENFLONSIA: novel drug approvals 2025 (FDA)RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV))Evaluation of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) following Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccination Among Adults 65 Years and Older (FDA) Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP)Evidence to Recommendations Framework (EtR): RSV Vaccination in Adults Aged 50–59 years (CDC: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases)Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)COVID-19 deaths (CDC)Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses)COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (biRxiV)Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)Paxlovid (Pfizer) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID)Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center)The answers: Long COVIDAccelerated vascular ageing after COVID-19 infection: the CARTESIAN study (European Heart Journal)Reaching out to US house representativeLetters read on TWiV 1246Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.
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    54 mins
  • TWiV 1245: Grabbing herpesvirus with both arms

    TWiV 1245: Grabbing herpesvirus with both arms
    Aug 17 2025

    TWiV reviews fradulent science becoming an industry, FDA may not authorize Pfizer COVID vaccine for young kids, Kennedy won’t push strict pesticide regulations conserved betacoronavirus sequences recognized by human T cells, and Bispecific antibodies protect against herpes recurrent disease.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Brianne Barker

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Frontiers in Comparative Systems Virology
    • Fradulent science becomes an industry (Science)
    • FDA may not authorize Pfizer COVID vaccine for young kids (CIDRAP)
    • Kennedy Won’t Push Strict Pesticide Regulations (NY Times)
    • Conserved betacoronavirus sequences recognized by human T cells (Cell)
    • Bispecific antibodies protect against herpes recurrent disease (Cell Rep)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1245
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Brianne – New Study Suggests Using AI Made Doctors Less Skilled at Spotting Cancer
    Alan – Save the Microbes effort gets off the ground
    Vincent – Dr. Vinay Prasad’s Catch-22: The Only Way He Can Truly Succeed at His Job is to Get Fired Again

    Listener Picks

    Chaim – “Virus Hunters” by Greer Williams
    Bridget – Wave Life Sciences and their potential treatment for Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

    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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 49 mins
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