This Week in Virology

Gisa, Steffi, and César join TWiV to discuss their careers, their research, and the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Guests: Gisa Gerold, Stefanie Becker, and César Muñoz-Fontela Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode German Society for Virology Ticks in Germany and TBEV (Sci Rep) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiVers review Biden's national strategy for the COVID-19 responses and pandemic preparedness, and an evaluation of the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test for SARS-CoV-2 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 Biden's COVID-19 strategy (pdf) CDC evaluation of BinaxNOW antigen test (MMWR) FDA instructions for BinaxNOW test (pdf) Adam Neely on Sea Shanties (YouTube) Letters read on TWiV 711 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Spelling Bee Brianne – He Made a Viral Bernie Meme Site. Now He Has to Keep it Going Alan – America's Cup AC75 capsize and aftermath in qualifying race Rich – Game Theory's UNCENSORED Interview With Dr. Fauci | The Truth About COVID-19 Vaccines Vincent – Top Science Podcasts Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #46, Daniel Griffin discusses the BinaxNow rapid antigen test, efficacy of Bamlanivimab in nursing homes, associations of serum vitamin D concentrations with in-hospital mortality and need for invasive mechanical ventilation, trials of IL-6 receptor antagonists, effects of anticoagulants on in-hospital mortality, and symptom persistence in outpatients. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Evaluation of Abbott BinaxNOW (MMWR) Lilly mAb in nursing homes (WSJ) Vitamin D and COVID-19 severity (Mayo Clin Proc) Anticoagulation, aspirin, in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 (medRxiv) Long COVID symptoms in outpatients (Ann Int Med) Letters read on TWiV 710 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

In this episode, President Biden elevates his science advisor to his Cabinet, a review of the current flu season, the scientific goals of the WHO-convened Global Study of the Origins of SARS-CoV-2, and answers to listener questions. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode President's science advisor to Cabinet (NY Times) Letter from Biden to Lander (pdf) Weekly flu (CDC) Weekly NY flu (NYDOH) WHO study on SARS-CoV-2 origins (WHO) Letters read on TWiV 709 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Kathy – 15 YouTubers play Telestrations Vincent – Vince Beiser Listener Picks Bob, David, Janet – Sea Shanty by A Cappella Science (YouTube, TikTok, Bandcamp) Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiVy team deconstructs CoronaVac, the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine produced by Sinovac Biotech, and production of multivalent camelid nanobodies that block infection with the virus and suppress selection of neturalization-resistant variants. 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 David Kessler to head Operation Warp Speed (NY Times) Phase 1/2 results of Sinovac inactivated vaccine (Lancet) beta-propiolactone (Wikipedia) Multivalent anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies (Science) Letters read on TWiV 708 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Photos of mob attacking Capitol Brianne – Video of Neutrophil Phagocytosis Alan – Fishing Through the Apocalypse Rich – A Word on Statistics by Wislawa Szymborska Vincent – Letters from an American Listener Pick Mike – Have the new jab Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

In COVID-19 clinical update #45, Daniel Griffin discusses J&J Ad26 vaccine results, reactogenicity after the second dose of mRNA vaccines, expansion of vaccine eligibility, and the finding that encephalitis after SARS-CoV-2 infection is a cytokine release syndrome. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode J&J Ad26 vaccine phase 1/2 results (NEJM) SARS-CoV-2 encephalitis is a cytokine release syndrome (CID) Letters read on TWiV 707 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV answers listener questions about pandemic response, excess deaths in 25-44 year olds, vaccines, vaccines, and vaccines. 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 Poems are at Twiverse 2020 US traffic deaths (Car & Driver) National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (HRSA) Jet injector (Wikipedia) Letters read on TWiV 706 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – We Know Almost Nothing About Giant Viruses Rich – The Coccolithophores Project Kathy – v-safe and Vaccine Handbook Vincent – Gorillas at San Diego Zoo infected with SARS-CoV-2 (pdf) Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Emily Travanty from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment joins TWiV to discuss how her laboratory was the first in the US to detect the SARS-CoV-2 variant VOC 202012/01. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker Guest: Emily Travanty Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode VOC detected in Colorado (WaPo) US has sequenced only 50,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes (CDC) Human CoV evolves to escape immunity (bioRxiv) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Randal Despommier on saxophone Brianne – Giant Microbes SARS-CoV2 Alan – West of Loathing Rich – Draft landscape of COVID-19 candidate vaccines Vincent – SARS-CoV-2 spillover events Listener Pick Daniel – His Vaccine Story Inspired His Father To Write A Disney Classic Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In this COVID-19 clinical update, Daniel Griffin summarizes current status of vaccination in the US, discusses a study on convalescent sera from Argentina, use of remdesivir in patients with kidney disease, and provides further considerations on the use of Ct values in patient management. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Argentine study on plasma therapy (NEJM) Ct values and clinical outcome (Open Forum Inf Dis) Bamlanivimab fact sheet (FDA pdf) Cognitive defects in recovered COVID-19 patients (medRxiv) Letters read on TWiV 704 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

On this episode, a discussion of why modifying the dose schedule of the mRNA vaccines in the US is not a good idea, evidence that lower Ct values on hospital admission is associated with higher mortality, and dose-dependent response to SARS-CoV-2 infection of ferrets. 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 BSL-3 Assistant Manager position Follow authorized vaccine dosing schedule (FDA) Mina suggests one vaccine dose (NY Times) UK decision document on vaccine dose (pdf) Ct linked to COVID-19 mortality (Open Forum Inf Dis) Dose-dependent infection of ferrets (Nat Comm) Letters read on TWiV 703 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Linsey Marr on masks Kathy – Striped Martian Sand Dunes and Rich – How Microwaving Grapes Makes Plasma Vincent – Musings of an anonymous, pissed off virologist Listener Pick Laura – Auld Lang Syne follow-up Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv