This Week in Virology

In COVID-19 clinical update #61, Daniel Griffin reviews a modeling of future hospitalizations and deaths by vaccination rates and non pharmaceutical intervention scenarios, performance evaluation of rapid antigen tests, children making up a growing share of new cases, antibody response to mRNA vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients, and outcomes in hospitalized patients treated with tocilizumab. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Modeling future COVID-19 cases (MMWR) Performance of rapid antigen tests (Ann Int Med) Children are growing share of infections (AAP News) Tocilizumab in hospitalized patients (Lancet) Letters read on TWiV 752 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV examines the claim by Brazil's ANVISA that the Sputnik vaccine contains replication-competent adenovirus, and a role for the furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 spike for efficient reproduction in the respiratory tract, evasion of antiviral IFITM proteins, and transmission in ferrets. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASV vaccine town halls Brazil rejects Gamaleya vaccine (Sci Transl Med) Russian vaccine behavior (Sci Transl Med) Is Gamaleya vaccine safe? (Science) Furin cleavage site in replication and transmission (Nat Micro) Furin site loss attenuates pathogenesis (Nature) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Rich – The diversity and function of sourdough starter microbiomes; Dunn Lab Wild Sourdough Project Kathy – ISS, Crew Dragon, and the sun Doubly warped world of binary black holes Vincent – Mr. Labman Listener Picks Joy – Abandoned America: Matthew Christopher's Autopsy of the American Dream Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiVmeisters discuss how copy-back defective viral genomes might modulate the clinical outcome of respiratory syncytial virus infection, and detection of antibodies to henipa- and filo-like viruses in Trinidad bats. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Vaccine education town halls (ASV) RSV cpDVG may influence clinical outcome (Nat Micro) Henipa- and filo-like viruses in Trinidad bats (J Inf Dis) Nice image of cpDVG generation Letters read on TWiV 750 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Olympus Image of the Year Award Alan – We need to improve the welfare of life science trainees Rich – Sheldrick Wildlife Trust; The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary Kathy – Aria Code Nessun dorma podcast Vincent – Covariants Listener Picks Justin – How Pfizer Makes Its Covid-19 Vaccine Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #60, Daniel Griffin summarizes CDC guidance for summer camps, how to protect yourself when fully vaccinated, updated recommendation for J&J vaccine, declining global case fatality rate, and characterization of post-acute sequelae. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Summer camp guidance (CDC) Protect yourself when fully vaccinated (CDC) Updated recommendation on J&J vaccine (MMWR) NY variant B1.526 (one, two) Declining global CFR (AJTMH) Protease inhibitor in phase I (Pfizer) Molnupiravir advances (Merck) Post acute sequelae (Nature) Letters read on TWiV 749 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

A TWiV trio explains a method for sequencing single genomes of SARS-CoV-2 and its use to explore in-host evolution drive by antibody responses, and incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis in COVID-19 patients and vaccine recipients. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode In-host SARS-CoV-2 evolution drive by antibody (PLoS Path) COVID-19 and CVT (OSF) CoronaVac underperforms (Economist) Precision Vaccines Program postdoc position Letters read on TWiV 748 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Show Your Immune System Some Love Alan – Cyborg sea turtle Vincent – Thomas Brock dies Listener Picks April – The High Line Michel – Why you can't compare Covid-19 vaccines Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Daniel Griffin discusses a front-line health care worker survey, pre-exposure seropositivity and subsequent infection in healthy young adults, fitted filtration efficiency of double masking, BinaxNow rapid in-home antigen test, postvaccination infections in a nursing facility, safety of mRNA vaccine in pregnant women, case control study of Bamlanivimab, no evidence for brain infection in patients with neurolgical symptoms, and mortality among US patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Healthcare worker survey (KFF) Seropositivity and infection risk in young adults (Lancet) Efficiency of double masking (JAMA) BinaxNow antigen test (Abbott) mRNA vaccine safety in pregnant persons (NEJM) Bamlanivimab case control study (CID) COVID-19 neuropathology (Brain) Mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients (JAMA) Letters read on TWiV 747 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Team TWiV explains how alphaviruses like Western equine encephalitis virus cross into the brain from capillaries by caveolin-mediated transcytosis, and reveal scientists' incentives and attitudes towards public communication. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Viral brain entry by transcytosis across endothelial cells (mBio) Scientists attitudes towards public communication (PNAS) Letters read on TWiV 746 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – NASA ingenuity helicopter ride Brianne – Vaccine Efficacy Animation Kathy – Airglow over the Azores Vincent – Gisaid Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Nadine Lamberski joins TWiV to discuss an outbreak of COVID-19 among gorillas at the San Diego Zoo, and the use of a spike protein-based vaccine to immunize the animals. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Guest: Nadine Lamberski Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Gorillas receive COVID-19 vaccine (Nat Geo) COVID-19 vaccine for great apes and mink (Zoetis) Letters read on TWiV 745 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – The Dream Vaccine Alan – Taking vaccines to Smith Island Kathy – Daily Overviews Subscribe Tulips Vincent – Nextstrain Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #58, Daniel Griffin provides the latest update on the J&J vaccine pause, healthcare worker deaths, children and COVID, physical inactivity associated with higher risk, using monoclonal antibodies for prophylaxis, and shows us how to properly wear a face mask. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Healthcare worker deaths (Guardian) Children and adolescent disease severity (JAMA) Physical inactivity and increased disease risk (BMJ) Expansion of Pfizer/BioNTech EUA (pdf) Thrombosis after ChAdOX1 vaccine (NEJM) Your guide to masks (CDC) Phase 3 mAb prevention trial (Regeneron) Letters read on TWiV 744 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

The TWiVsters explain how the shape of pleomorphic virus particles – spherical or filamentous – determines the probability of virus attachment and fusion, and resistance to selective pressure such as antibodies that block cell entry. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Amy Rosenfeld Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Pleomorphic virus particles and cell entry (Nat Micro) Letters read on TWiV 743 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – A tiny particle's wobble could upend the laws of physics Rich – COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2: Viruses, Vaccines & Variants Made Easy Amy – Vaccine Anthems Vincent – DarkNet Diaries Ep. 86 Listener Picks Steve – Cover Your Freakin' Face Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv