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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 1319: An earful of SARS-CoV-2

    TWiV 1319: An earful of SARS-CoV-2
    May 3 2026

    TWiV explains the emergence of vaccine-derived poliovirus strains from the novel oral polio vaccine in the Central African Republic, and the infection of spiral ganglion neurons in the inner ear by SARS-CoV-2, which may explain hearing loss in humans.

    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
    • Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
    • Bernard Roizman dies (U Chicago)
    • Craig Venter dies (Sci Am)
    • Trump fires National Science Board (AAU)
    • It was World Vaccine Week (WHO)
    • nOPV2 phenotypically reverts via recombination (mBio)
    • SARS-CoV-2 infects inner ear (Cell Rep)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1319
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Kathy – Science of rats and other organisms in the East River
    Alan – Chronolog citizen science project
    Vincent – Why Do Train Engines Sometimes Face Backwards?

    Listener Picks

    Chris – Consensus: AI for research

    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 44 mins
  • TWiV 1318: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    TWiV 1318: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
    May 2 2026
    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello note the uncertain future of the National Science Foundation amid shifting U.S. funding priorities and governance; the rise of China as a global research powerhouse; ongoing advances and controversies in vaccines shaped by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; vaccine policy battles in Florida; European approval of the moderna mCOMBRIAX, COVID-19 and influenza vaccine, the mounting evidence supporting preventive vaccination strategies including that for HPV and the HepB birth dose; the spread of drug-resistant infections and the resurgence of HIV in Zambia; and the enduring public trust in scientists despite political turbulence, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, the efficacy of the influenza vaccine for children, PEMGARDA authorized use for certain immunocompromised individuals where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, use of remdesivir for RSV, how administration of Paxlovid did not affect hospitalization of high-risk vaccinated patients, where to go for answers about long COVID-19, if SARS-CoV-2 infection may facilitate EBV reactivation, exercise 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 Entire NSF science advisory board fired by Trump administration (Nature) United States v. Arthrex, Inc.(Harvard Law Review)United States v. Arthrex Inc. [SCOTUSbrief] (Federalist Society)China could be the world's biggest public funder of science within two years (Nature)The Vaccine Skeptic in Trump's New C.D.C. Leadership Team (NY Times)World Immunization week: Largest catch-up initiative delivers over 100 million childhood vaccinations (WHO)Pigs are flying!: Florida Republicans refuse to take up DeSantis bill loosening vaccine mandates (NY Times)Moderna Receives European Commission Marketing Authorization for mCOMBRIAX, Moderna's mRNA Combination Vaccine Against Influenza and COVID-19(moderna)America First! AIDS Creeps Back in Parts of Zambia, a Year After U.S. Cuts to H.I.V. Assistance (NY Times)Emergence of Extensively Drug-Resistant Shigellosis — United States, 2011–2023 (CDC: MMWR)Scientists Esteemed by Public, with Vaccine Scientists Seen as Similar to Scientists in General (Annenberg: Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania)RFK Jr. is holding up $600M in vaccines for poor countries (Politico)Trump Withdraws Nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General (NY Times)What? Benefit of preventive strategies like vaccination? Incidence of human papillomavirus infections in women aged 27 years and older in the US: A federated data network study (International Journal of Infectious Diseases)Economic Impact of Delaying the Infant Hepatitis B Vaccination Schedule (JAMA Pediatrics) Impact of Removing the Universal Hepatitis B Birth-Dose Vaccination in the US (JAMA Pediatrics) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) Measles Dashboard (South Carolina Department of Public Health)Utah measles outbreak response (Utah Department of Health and Human Services) Utah Measles Dashboard (Utah Department of Health and Human Services)Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins)Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada)Measles (WHO)Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC)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) Dangers of measles infection (NY Times)Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Flu vaccine recommendations: Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee March 12, 2026 Meeting Announcement (FDA)WHO updates all 3 viral strains to be included in fall flu shots (CIDRAP)FDA vaccine advisers recommend adding subclade K to fall shots (CIDRAP)Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) OPTION 2: XOFLUZA $50 Cash Pay Option (Xofluza) Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Nursing Home Residents and Health Care Personnel — United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season (CDC: MMWR) Pediatric Vaccine Effectiveness Against Influenza Hospitalization And ...
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • TWiV 1317: Dead shrimp walking

    TWiV 1317: Dead shrimp walking
    Apr 26 2026

    TWiV explains a study showing that viral DNA load in blood and saliva varied markedly with age, time of day season, sex, and depended on dozens of genetic loci, and identification of an emerging human eye disease associated with aquatic virus zoonotic infection.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
    • DNA virome varies with human genes and environments (Nature)
    • Emerging eye infection from aquatic virus (Nat Micro)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1317
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Brianne – Wayback Machine: Internet Archive
    Rich – Grandparents for Vaccines
    Alan – On Writing by Stephen King
    Vincent – The Real Reason The Soviets Lost The Space Race!

    Listener Picks

    Ginny – Dr. Cal Your Science Pal

    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 42 mins
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