This Week in Virology TWiV 1217: Alternative vax and pandemic origins
May 11, 2025
Discover the implications of new FDA leadership on public health and the Gates Foundation's planned end in 2045. Delve into the origins of bat coronaviruses and the controversies surrounding gain-of-function research. Learn about advancements in vaccine technology, particularly for the Sudan virus, and the complexities of health communication amid societal issues. Plus, hear thoughts on climate change as the hottest year in two millennia unfolds, and explore the exciting intersection of AI and virology.
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Concerns Over New FDA CBER Chief
- The new CBER chief at the FDA, Vinay Prasad, is seen as a medical contrarian critical of COVID-19 measures.
- Prasad's appointment raises concerns about future vaccine approval standards and regulatory predictability.
Origins of SARS Bat Viruses
- Both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 descended from horseshoe bat viruses closely related to their emergence sites.
- Their ancestors circulated 1 to 6 years before emergence, implying wildlife trade accelerated their spread.
Bat Virus Geographic Spread
- Bat viruses diffuse geographically similar to their host bats, covering areas but not long distances individually.
- Multi-species bat roosting allows virus exchange and longer distance spread than any single bat can achieve.