This Week in Virology

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin informs us about mpox circulation, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, new recommendations for the RSV and pneumococcal vaccines by the CDC, the beginning of influenza season, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, contrasting public health concerns between the US and the UK, what the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is when indoors, the difference between NVX-CoV2327 and BNT162b2 for adolescents, why 65 years and older should get a second boost of the COVID-19 vaccine, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, the clinical trial for evaluating how novel treatments of COVID-19 affect long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Grim marker: mpox over a 1000 deaths in Africa (CIDRAP) Global trend of mpox outbreak 2022-2024 (WHO) Second time mpox is a global public health emergency (Reuters) Mpox variant in Germany (Reuters) Epidemiological analysis of confirmed mpox cases in Burundi (EuroSurveillance) The 63rd case of Marburg virus infections in Rwanda (CIDRAP) How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Marburg virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) FDA approves RSV vaccine ABRYSVO for 18-59 individuals of increased risk (Pfizer) Respiratory syncytial virus infection-NET (CDC) New  pneumococcal vaccine recommendations…..it’s a virus? (CDC Newsroom) Recommending PREVNAR 20, 20 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for 50 and over (Pfizer) And one more, CAPVEXIVE, pneumococcal 21 valent conjugate vaccine (Merck) Penumococcoal 21-valent conjugate vaccine CAPVEXIVE(MerckVaccines.com) Influenza surveillance: Key updates (CDC) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) What is happening across the pond? (UKHSA data dashboard) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission when indoors (JID) NVX-CoV2327 vs BNT162b2 vaccines in adolescents (Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal) Second dose of 2024-2025 COVID19 vaccine recommended for 65 and older (CDC Newsroom) New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA) IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Viral and symptom rebound following monoclonal antibody therapy (JID) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) ASH living guidelines on use of anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis in patients with COVID-19: executive summary, Dr. Daniel Griffin (Blood Advances) Novel treatments for acute COVID-19 should account for long COVID (JID) The persistence of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) after SARS-CoV-2 infection (Journal of Infection) Letters read on TWiV 1160 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

Vincent travels to the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm to meet up with Niklas Björkström and Joakim Dillner to review their research on the endometrial immune system, and the plan to eliminate cervical cancer in Sweden. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Niklas Björkström and Joakim Dillner Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Endometrial immune system variation (Sci Immunol) Immune defense in the womb (News from Karolinska) HPV vaccination and screening for elimination (Nat Comm) Cervical cancer elimination strategies (Int J Cancer) Timestamps by Jolene. 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.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin informs us about mpox circulation and new vaccine approval, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, and the largest outbreak of whooping cough in a decade before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, immunity among those over 65th following the 3rd dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, how well the SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test performed, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the effect of remdesivir on survival and readmission of hospitalized patients, if cognitive impairment following virus infection impairs one’s driving and how long COVID affects Chinese society. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Undiagnosed MPXV infections are high in men who have sex with men (BMC Infectious Diseases) WHO, now a vaccine approval agency, Jynneos for teens  (CIDRAP) Mpox outbreak global trends (WHO) How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Marburg virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Largest whooping cough outbreak in US in a decade (NPR) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Insurance relates to effectiveness and waning of immunity following 3rd dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine? (JID) New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA) IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) How well do you test: performance of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid detection test (eBioMedicine) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Remdesivir-associated survival outcomes among immunocompromised patients (CID) Remdesivir Effectiveness in Reducing the Risk of 30-day Readmission in Vulnerable Patients (CID) Measurement of circulating viral antigens post-SARS-CoV-2 infection (CMI: Clinical Microbiology and Infection) DUCI: driving under cognitive influence of COVID-19 (Neurology) Long COVID facts and findings: (LANCET: Regional Health Western Pacific) Letters read on TWiV 1158 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 Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, cryo-EM based discovery of a parvovirus causing black wasting disease in farmed beetles, and a mosaic nanoparticle experimental vaccine that elicits cross-reactive sarbecovirus responses in pre-vaccinated animals. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, 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 Marburg virus disease, Rwanda (WHO) Suspected German Marburg case tests negative (Politico) Cryo-EM discovery of insect parvovirus (Cell) Mosaic sarbecovirus nanoparticle experimental vaccine (Cell) Letters read on TWiV 1157 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – ASM Lesson Plans Alan – A City on Mars, and this blog by a ham radio operator hit by Hurricane Helene Vincent – How to Win A Nobel Prize Listener Pick Laura – Science of Public Communication (original article) 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.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin updates us about polio SIA campaign in Gaza, the durability of protection following administration of GSK’s recombinant antigen RSV vaccine, mpox in an Ugandan jail, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of different COVID-19 vaccine platforms, disease severity in those not previously vaccinated with those vaccinated but not infected, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, if COVID-19 doubles the risk for heart attacks, stroke and death and if COVID-19 affects the regions of the brainstem. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Polio: second round of vaccination in Gaza (Reuters) Season 3 for GSK RSV vaccine protection (CIDRAP) Positive data for Arexvy, the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine (GSK) Mpox convicted felon: in Ugandan prison (Reuters) How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) Marburg virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre) CDC summary of the “Rwanda Marburg Situation” (CDC) 700 doses of a Marburg vaccine from the Sabin Vaccine Institute to Rwanda  (CIDRAP) USAID mobilizes Marburg outbreak response in Rwanda (United States Agency International Development) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) PICOBOO: immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of different COVID-19 vaccine (Journal of Infection) COVID-19 in previously unvaccinated compared with previously uninfected vaccinated (JID) New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA) IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) COVID Data tracker (CDC Differences in COVID-19 outpatient antiviral treatment (MMWR) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) COVID-19 is a coronary artery disease with genetic interaction with ABO blood type (AHAIASA Journals) COVID-19 doubles risk of heart attack, stroke and death (EurekaAlert!) QTL mapping at 7T in COVID-19: brainstem and outcomes (Brain) Letters read on TWiV 1156 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 mask effectiveness against respiratory infections, EEE death in NY State, viruses with zoonotic potential in farmed fur animals, and genetic tracing of market wild life and viruses at the Huanan Seafood Market, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Review confirms mask effectiveness (original article) EEE death in Ulster County NY (CBS News) EEE on TWiV 1145 Viruses of farmed fur animals (Nature) Tracing of wildlife and viruses at COVID-19 epicenter (Cell) Letters read on TWiV 1155 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Rich – Immunize.org, Vaccineinformation.org, National Network of Immunization Coalitions Alan – Birdcast Vincent – A universal framework for inclusive 15-minute cities 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.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, the lack of immune durability following pertussis vaccination, recommendations for maternal vaccination and antibody therapy to protect against infant RSV, vaccine security for Mpox, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, how to put on and take off PPE to avoid contamination, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the lack of immune durability elicited by mRNA vaccine and the finding of how SARS-CoV-2 infection impacts memory, cognition and reduces grey matter volume. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Rwanda: Marburg virus disease (WHO) Passport required?…..Marburg virus commutes to Germany (CIDRAP) Outbreak of whooping cough/pertussis…..no lifelong immunity following vaccination? (Bloomberg Protection of infants by maternal antibodies against RSV by either vaccination or nirsevimab (MMWR) WHO recommendations for RSV: maternal vaccination and antibody shot  (Reuters) Ziresovir for RSV hospitalized infants (NEJM) Crawling to effective anti-RSV countermeasures (NEJM) The $800 million pledge for African mpox response (Reuters) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Doffing your PPE– contact precautions (CID) mRNA vaccination does not elicit durable immune response (Nature Medicine) IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Mechanisms of long COVID and therapeutics (Cell) Post hospitalization cognitive deficits and grey matter reduction 1 year after COVID-19 (Nature Medicine) Letters read on TWiV 1154 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

From the Viruses of Microbes meeting in Cairns, Australia, TWiV speaks with Krystyna and Rob about their research on using bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Jolene Ramsey Guests: Krystyna Dabrowska and Rob Lavigne Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Viruses of Microbes 2024 Immune responses to phages (Front Immunol) Engineering bacteriolytic enzymes (Front Immunol) 100 cases of phage therapy (Nat Micro) Synthetic biology potential of bacteriophages (Nat Micro) Timestamps by Jolene. 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.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin deep dives into the durability of the antibody response following mpox vaccination, vaccine security, global mpox circulation, the origins of SARS-CoV-2, including a list TWiV episodes and combatting scientific misinformation, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, if remdesivir + dexamethasone lowers mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients and the finding of how SARS-CoV-2 infection impacts memory and cognition. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Waning vaccine protection against mpox…..isn’t this the way the humoral immune response works? (CIDRAP) 1:46 Uncontrollable mpox outbreak in Africa  (Reuters) 4:10 Antibodies elicited by the Jynneos vaccine against mpox contract after 6-9 months….can you believe? (medrxiv) 4:45 Mpox vaccine for adolescents approved (Pharmaceutical Technology) 14:05 Clade 1b mpox visiting India (CIDRAP) 15:05 Mpox clade 1b in Kerala (ANI South Asia’s Leading Multimedia News Agency) 15:13 US government orders $63M worth of small pox/mpox vaccine (Reuters) 15:34 Mpox donations boosting global supply (US Department of Health and Human Services) 1 million mpox vaccine doses for Africa….with love from US government (CIDRAP) 15:55 Speed doses of mpox vaccine (CIDRAP) Mpox vaccine donations (UNICEF) 17:35 Bavarian Nordic mpox vaccine (Yahoo finances) Early epicenter of COVID-19 pandemic Huanan seafood market (Science) 23:07 Wildlife trade likely source of SARS-CoV-2 (Science) 23:16 Zoonotic origins of SARS-CoV-2 (Science) 23:20 Surveillance at the Huanan Seafood market (Europe PMC) 25:03 TWiV shout outs…..all for the SARS-CoV-2 spill over from nature 25:31 TWiV 1019: Eddie Holmes on SARS-CoV-2 origins TWiV 1017: From Nature, not a lab TWiV 995: Viral origin stories TWiV 940: Eddie Holmes in on viral origins TWiV 876: Spillover market with Michael Worobey TWiV 762: SARS-CoV-2 origins with Robert Garry TWiV 760: SARS-CoV-2 origins with Peter Daszak, Thea Kølsen Fischer, Marion Koopmans TWiV 774: Kristian Andersen, Robert Garry, and the deleted SARS-CoV-2 sequences Genetic tracing of market wildlife and viruses at Huanan Market (Cell) 18:56 Combatting scientific misinformation (microbeTV: TWiV) 34:14 COVID-19 deaths (CDC) 35:20 COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Suggestion for the use of a new preventive COVID-19 agent (IDSA) IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Molnupiravir outcomes 3 and 6 months after treatment (LANCET Infectious Diseases) Antivirals and post-COVID-19 conditions (LANCET Infectious Disease) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Lower mortality risk associated with remdesivir + dexamethasone versus dexamethasone for hospitalized COVID-19 patients (CID) 39:17 Changes in memory and cognition during the SARS-CoV-2 human challenge study (eClinical Medicine) 42:25 Letters read on TWiV 1152 48:18 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 polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, viruses with zoonotic potential in farmed fur animals, low HPV vaccination in North Texas associated with high rates of cervical cancer, a large flavivirus genome that does not encode error correction machinery, and antiphage defense through inhibition of virion assembly. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Jolene Ramsey Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Polio vaccination in Gaza (Reuters) Zoonotic viruses in farmed fur animals (Nature) HPV vaccination and cancer rates (JAMA Net Open) 40 kb RNA genome without error correction (PNAS) Stopping the phage tape measure protein (Nat Commun) Tail assembly interference (Nat Commun) Letters read on TWiV 1151 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Digital nature pics winners 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Alan – Adorable story about a Nigerian paralympian couple who are both polio survivors Jolene – Capsid assembly model with self-assembling pentamers in 3D print model (plus three more models now available if search self assembling virus) and Wonderlab article about exhibit using this to teach about viral patterns in Bloomington Indiana Science museum Vincent – The collapse of bat populations led to more than a thousand infant deaths 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.