This Week in Virology

Paul and Theodora return to TWiV to explain their research on determining the number of neutralizing epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike that are recognized by antibodies, and engineering of a polymutant spike with twenty amino acid changes that demonstrates the high genetic barrier to escape from convalescent serum. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Guests: Paul Bieniasz and Theodora Hatiziiouannou Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode High genetic barrier for SARS-CoV-2 antibody escape (bioRxiv) Enhanced antibody one year after COVID-19 (Nature) Letters read on TWiV 796 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – NIF and Photon Science: fusion reaction generates 1.3 MJ Brianne – The PCR Song Rich – 1) How Boston Dynamics’ Spot Robot Works! 2) Inside the lab: How does Atlas work?3) Atlas | Partners in Parkour Theodora – Kevin Parry turning into random objects Vincent – Lex Fridman Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #76, Daniel Griffin covers association of age and pediatric household transmission, rapid antigen testing in remote communities, shedding of infectious virus in vaccinated individuals, FDA amendment of mRNA vaccine EUA to allow a third dose, new vaccine mandate for NY state, full vaccination suppresses selection of variants, effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in nursing homes, sustained effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization, and no benefit from early convalescent serum in high-risk outpatients. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Age and pediatric household transmission (JAMA) Rapid antigen testing in remote communities (MMWR) Shedding of infectious virus from vaccinated individuals (medRxiv) Additional vaccine doses for immunocompromised (FDA) New vaccine mandate for New York (NYS) Vaccination suppresses variant emergence (medRxiv) mRNA vaccine effectiveness in nursing homes (MMWR) Effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization (MMWR) mRNA vaccine sustained effectiveness against hospitalization (MMWR) No benefit of convalescent plasma for high-risk outpatients (NEJM) Letters read on TWiV 795 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV summarizes cases of arbovirus disease during 2019 in the US, and explains a study that estimates infectiousness throughout the SARS-CoV-2 course of infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Vaccine Town Halls (ASV) Arboviral illness, US, 2019 (MMWR) Estimating SARS-CoV-2 infectiousness (Science) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Climate Reports | United Nations Brianne – Astronomy Picture of the Day: A Perfect Spiral Rich – COVID-19 false dichotomies Alan – Fixing broken machines Vincent – MKBHD Studio Tour 2021 Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #75, Daniel Griffin reviews vaccine effectiveness against transmission, modeling effectiveness of daily antigen tests, updated CDC guidance for fully vaccinated, risk of infection with time after mRNA vaccination, reduced risk of infection after vaccination, therapeutic anticoagulants in critically ill patients, and 6 month outcomes in hospitalized patients. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Vaccine effectiveness against transmission (Euro Surveill) Effectiveness of daily antigen tests (medRxiv) Interim guidance for fully vaccinated people (CDC) Elapsed time since BNT162b2 vaccine and reinfection (medRxiv) Reduced risk of infection after vaccination (MMWR) Therapeutic anticoagulants in critically ill patients (NEJM) 6 month outcomes in hospitalized patients (J Gen Int Med) Letters read on TWiV 793 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Jeffrey Shaman returns to TWiV to explain how epidemiologists measure SARS-CoV-2 movement among humans, including calculation of the reproductive index, secondary transmission, and what factors affect transmission. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Guest: Jeffrey Shaman Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode A guide to R (Nature) Epidemiology of three SARS-CoV-2 VOC (medRxiv) Impact of delta variant in India (medRxiv) Letters read on TWiV 792 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – The Social Lives of Giraffes Kathy – Saturn’s Iapetus, moon in 3-D Vincent – Arkansas Governor Wants To Reverse A Law That Forbids Schools To Require Masks Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV reviews SARS-CoV-2 infection of wild white-tailed deer in the US, mRNA vaccine-mediated protection by spike-specific T cells before detection of neutralizing antibodies, and recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection in T-cell depleted rhesus macaques. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode SARS-CoV-2 in wild deer (bioRxiv) Rapid T cell induction by mRNA vaccine (Nature) T cell depleted macaques recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection (mBio) Letters read on TWiV 791 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Virgin Hyperloop shows off the future Brianne – BioNumbers Rich – Advice will evolve as COVID situation changes Alan – Mars Perseverance-themed geocaching swag Vincent – Mattel’s Barbie Turns Women Of Science, Including COVID Vaccine Developer, Into Dolls Listener Picks Nancy – Vaccines at a Party Jeff – How to Survive a Plague, Part 2 Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #74, Daniel Griffin covers infections in vaccinated individuals, expansion of Regeneron monoclonal antibody cocktail for prophylaxis, neutralization of variants by antibodies produced by infection or vaccination, longer hospital stays associated with remdesivir treatment, and post-acute sequelae of infection and impact on quality of life 1-6 months after illness. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Outbreak in Barnstable County, MA (MMWR) Kinetics of delta variant infections (medRxiv) Prophlaxis with Regeneron mAbs (Regeneron) Subcutaneous mAbs to prevent COVID-19 (NEJM) Variant neutralization by infection or vaccine antibodies (Clin Inf Dis) Remdesivir associated with longer hospital stays (JAMA) Post-acute sequelae (Op For Inf Dis) Letters read on TWiV 790 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV reviews a leaked CDC document on virulence and spread of the delta variant, and how anti-alphavirus antibodies that do not neutralize infection can nevertheless protect mice from disease. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode NYC first to require vaccination proof (Reuters) Leaked internal CDC document (WaPo) Manuscripts on increased virulence (one, two, three) Disease protection by non-neutralizing antibodies (Cell) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Nobel Prize Games Kathy – Snail sensors Rich – In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope by Rana Awdish Vincent – The Provincetown Covid data is actually good news (if you are vaccinated) and I Was the Architect of Operation Warp Speed. I Have a Message for All Americans. Listener Pick Jake – NASA spinoff Peter – Bernard, the Extraordinary Moth Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Kiran joins TWiV to discuss the findings of a team at Columbia University Medical Center on COVID-19 neuropathology, and the conclusion that SARS-CoV-2 does not reproduce in the central nervous system. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Guest: Kiran Thakur Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode COVID-19 neuropathology (Brain) Infections in vaccinated people (MMWR) Infections in vaccinated people (NEJM) Letters read on TWiV 788 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Simone Biles and Suni Lee Brianne – How Speed and Distance Dictate the Way Olympians Run Rich – CDC reversal on indoor masking prompts experts to ask, ‘Where’s the data?’ Vincent – Paul and the Mosquitos Listener Pick Lin – Your Vaccinated Immune System is Ready For Breakthroughs Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #73, Daniel Griffin reviews updated mask guidance from CDC, infections in public school district employees, effectiveness of vaccines against delta variant, antibody response after third vaccine dose in kidney transplant recipients, protection afforded by mRNA vaccines fully vaccinated people with and without prior infections, correlates of protection in nonhuman primates, lack of effectiveness of doxycycline, neurological manifestations of COVID-19, and infection in vaccinated health care workers. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Updated mask guidance (CDC) Infections in public school district employees (MMWR) 10% of positive kids need hospitalization (Houston Chronicle) Effectiveness of vaccines vs delta variant (NEJM) Antibody response after third vaccine dose (JAMA) Severe COVID-19 in kidney transplant patients (Kidney Intl) mRNA vaccine protection with or without prior infection (medRxiv) Doxycycline ineffective (Lancet) Neurological manifestations (Lancet) Infections in vaccinated health care workers (NEJM) Letters read on TWiV 787 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv