This Week in Virology

Vincent travels to Tegernsee, Germany for the Sixth Ringberg Symposium on Giant Viruses, where he talks with John Archibald, Susana Coelho, and Tom Delmont about their work on – you guessed it – giant viruses. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: John Archibald, Susana Coelho, and Tom Delmont Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Transposable elements shaping Ectocarpus genome (Genome Biol) Mirusviruses link herpesviruses to giant viruses (Nature) Mirusviruses predicted to reproduce in nuclei (Nat Micro) Persistent mirusvirus infection in the marine protist Aurantiochytrium (Nat Com) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected] Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello protest Vinjay Prasad, head of CBER FDA Nov memo stating administration of the COVID-19 vaccine resulted in 10 children's deaths, but are cautiously delighted by the December memo from those in CBER who dispute this data-less claim, how in 31 states pertussis vaccination rates have declined before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, of clinical outcomes of oseltamivir versus baloxavir for treating influenza infection, number deaths associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations and disease associated economic burden, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, how the German government is committed to research into long COVID and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Industry laments Prasad vaccine memo (Politico) Scoop: FDA vaccine chief's memo cited 10 pediatric Covid-19 vaccine deaths—but the agency's own analysis found 0–7 (Inside Medicine) Whooping cough cases soar as vaccination rates drop (NBC News) Marburg Outbreak in Ethiopia: Current Situation (CDC: Marburg Virus Disease) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins) Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg) Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) Measles (WHO) Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles(CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC) Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM) Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts (ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America) Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine) Hundreds quarantined as South Carolina measles outbreak accelerates (Washington Post) Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) USrespiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) In call with clinicians, CDC recommends flu vaccines widely (CIDRAP) Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season (FDA) Comparison of clinical outcomes of oseltamivir versus baloxavir in outpatients with influenza: a retrospective cohort analysis (International Journal of Infectious Diseases) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health) USrespiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV)) Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV) Effectiveness of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccines in Children in the United States — VISION, August 29, 2024–September 2, 2025 (CDC:MMWR) Mortality following recovery from COVID-19 hospitalization: A long-term cohort study (International Journal of Infectious Diseases) COVID hospitalization tied to 69% higher risk of death for up to 2 years (CIDRAP) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUAfor the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro) Understanding Coverage Options (PAXCESS) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Comparison of work productivity losses in the United States among employees with COVID-19 at high-risk of severe disease who were untreated or treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Journal of Medical Economics) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Anticoagulationguidelines (hematology.org) Daniel Griffin's evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) The answers: Long COVID Long-COVID research just got a big funding boost: will it find new treatments?(Nature) Reaching out to US house representative Letters read on TWiV 1280 Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to [email protected] Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

TWiV reviews considerations and perspectives on phage therapy, and the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of hepatitis b virus. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Jolene Ramsey Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV Immune 100 live at the Incubator ASV 2026 WHO global expert committee: no link between vaccines and autism (News-Medical) Considerations on phage therapy (Nat Comm) What is TATFAR? (CDC) History of phage therapy (one, two) JAMA Viruses that (can) make you well (TWiV 1153) The InVinceable TWiV (TWiV 145) Blumberg Nobel Lecture 1976 Particles associated with Australia antigen in patients (Nature) HBV vaccination remains vital for saving lives (Hep B Foundation) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Weekly Picks Rich – Scientist's cat, again, helps discover new virus Alan – Wormtalk video on politicization of screwworm spread Jolene – Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis Vincent – Scoop: FDA vaccine chief's memo cited 10 pediatric Covid-19 vaccine deaths—but the agency's own analysis found 0–7 Listener Picks David – Astronomy Picture of the Day Eric – Jesse Welles (United Health) Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected] Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

Infectious diseases physician Jake Scott returns to TWiV to discuss the dangerous anti-vaccine policies being established in the US and what RFK Jr. and his associates get wrong. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Angela Mingarelli Guest: Jake Scott Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Support science education at MicrobeTV Vaccine RCT spreadsheet (CIDRAP) What RFK Jr gets wrong about vaccines (Conversation) RFK Jr's case against mRNA vaccines collapses (STAT) Too many kids' vaccines? Think again (STAT) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Weekly Picks Angela – Angela Palmer, science meets art (one, two) Rich – TWiV Special: A Shot of Hep B with Thomas Tu; TWiV Special: A shot of HepB with Chari Cohen Vincent – TSA is checking senior's phones for these 5 apps Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected] Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss the positive side effect of the shingles vaccine on dementia outcomes and how one dose of the HPV vaccine is non-inferior to two doses, but are dismayed about the FDA's secrecy around the inflammatory statement that the COVID-19 vaccine is linked to the death of 10 children. Dr. Griffin then deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, effectiveness of maternal administration of the RVS vaccine or the COVID vaccine for neonates, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, how celiac plexus blocks improves gastrointestinal long COVID symptoms, brain alterations and neurodegenerative processes in long COVID cognitive impairment and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode The effect of shingles vaccination at different stages of the dementia disease course (Cell) FDA links 10 children's deaths to COVID-19 vaccines. Doctors want proof (ABC News) Subject: Deaths in children due to COVID-19 vaccines and CBER's path forward Dear Team CBER,(Washington Post) Noninferiority of One HPV Vaccine Dose to Two Doses(NEJM) Marburg Outbreak in Ethiopia: Current Situation (CDC: Marburg Virus Disease) Washington state resident believed to be the first to die from a rare strain of bird flu (AP News) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins) Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg) Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) Measles (WHO) Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM) Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts(ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America) Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine) Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) ACIP Recommendations Summary (CDC: Influenza) Types of Influenza Viruses (CDC: Influenza (flu)) Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season(FDA) RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health) US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV)) Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP) Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes After Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prefusion F Protein Vaccination During Pregnancy (Obstetrics & Gynecology) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses) COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain) Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV) Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against post-COVID-19 condition/long COVID: systematic review and meta-analysis (CMI: Clinical Microbiology and Infection) SARS-CoV-2Infection Versus Vaccination During Pregnancy: Implications for Placental Antibody Transfer (The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal) Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD) Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro) Understanding Coverage Options (PAXCESS) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Daniel Griffin's evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID) Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center) The answers: Long COVID Case Report: Celiac plexus block improves gastrointestinal Long COVID symptoms (Frontiers Neuroscience) Distinct brain alterations and neurodegenerative processes in cognitive impairment associated with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (Nature Communications) Reaching out to US house representative Letters read on TWiV 1276 Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to [email protected] Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.