This Week in Virology

TWiV 1231: What is a virus?

June 29, 2025

TWiV discusses Sen. Cassidy calling for ACIP meeting delay, RFK Jr. abandons GAVI, millions of children at risk as global vaccination rates fall, RFK Jr. grilled by Congress, autism rates have increased 60-fold due to changed definitions, deep mutational scanning of rabies virus glyoprotein, and and proton gradient and incomplete TCA cycle in a giant virus.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Brianne Barker, and Angela Mingarelli

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Support science education at MicrobeTV 3:25, 1:53:11
Sen. Cassidy calls for ACIP delay (NYTimes) 9:03
RFK Jr. stops GAVI funding (NYTimes) 11:25
Global vaccination rates drop, millions of children at risk (Guardian) 13:14
Autism rates have increased 60-fold, here’s why (NYTimes) 16:45
Deep mutational scanning of rabies virus glycoprotein (Cell Host Micr) 20:15
Giant virus with proton gradient and partial TCA cycle (ISME J) 1:59:58
Why cells are powered by proton gradients (Scitable) 1:14:14
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:39:00

Angela – 27 new, exciting, and blobby species discovered in the Peruvian rainforest!
Brianne – Encounters in the Milky Way
Rich – Where to go for accurate, up-to-date vaccine information 1:45:36
Vincent – The members of RFK Jr.’s new vaccine committee have published little on vaccines

Listener Picks

Charles – Vaccine Advice, Vandalized
Ken – Golden Goose Awards

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.

TWiV 1230: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

June 28, 2025

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello are alarmed at how RFK is breaking his promise of not altering vaccine policies, and nonexistent data and studies are used by members of the ACIP to make changes to immunization practices in the absence of a CDC director, justification for not honoring the US commitment to GAVI and global public policies including support of routine childhood immunizations, placing millions of children at risk for the return of vaccine preventable diseases including polio outbreaks in Pappa New Guinea and increased circulation of wildtype type 1 poliovirus, before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, approval of Merck’s anti-RSV mRNA monoclonal antibody, whether or not the NB.1.8.1 should be included in the fall 2025 vaccines, immunization recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, where to find PEMGARDA, changes in COVID mRNA vaccine labeling and reframing of the science around the vaccine, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research.

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Links for this episode

Jake Scott (Stanford University) 1:58
Vaccine Randomized control trials (Bradspellberg.com) 1:58
Vaccine RCT spreadsheet aims to show the data, dispel myths about vaccines (CIDRAP) 1:58
Vaccines-rcts (Bradspellberg.com) 1:58
CDC’s upcoming vaccine advisory meeting set up to sow distrust in vaccines (CIDRAP) 3:21
Next ACIP meeting (CDC: ACIP) 3:21
June meeting: MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES (ACIP) (CDC: ACIP agenda) 3:21
Robert F Berman, PhD (UC Davis Health: Department of Neurological Surgery) 7:51
Transparency = nonexistent data: CDC advisers appears to cite nonexistent study to support claims about risk of vaccine preservative (CNN) 7:24
A C.D.C. Committee Just Voted Against Flu Shots With This Preservative. Is It Safe? (NY Times)
CDC vaccine advisory committee to review long-approved immunizations (STAT News)
Newly appointed CDC vaccine advisory committee holds first meeting, stirs more controversy (CIDRAP) 3:21
FDA approves clesrovimab to protect infants during first RSV season (Contemporary Pediatrics) 11:46
ACIP updates: Committee recommends clesrovimab for RSV, reaffirms routine influenza vaccination (Contemporary Pediatrics) 11:46
Susan Monarez (Wikipedia) 1528
Robert F Kennedy Jr (Wikipedia) 15:44
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Wikipedia)
Who is in charge at the CDC (CDC: About CDC) 15:20
Do children REALLY need to be vaccinated? (Wall Street Journal) 17:12
U.S. Adults’ Views on Routine Childhood Vaccination (Harvard Opinion Research Program) 17:23
RFK Jr. declares US withdrawal from GAVI (YouTube) 19:10
Kennedy Withdraws U.S. Funding Pledge to International Vaccine Agency (NY Times) 19:10
Millions of children at risk as global vaccine rates fall (Guardian) 19:10
Global, regional, and national trends in routine childhood vaccination coverage from 1980 to 2023 with forecasts to 2030 (LANCET) 21:00
Polio this week: 47 WPV1 positive environmental samples this week! (GPEI)
H5 bird flu: current situation (CDC: Avian Influenza)
Cambodia logs fifth death from H5N1 avian flu as USDA weighs poultry vaccination (CIDRAP) 23:08
Cambodia reports 6th H5N1 bird flu case this year (BNO News) 23:08
USDA develops potential plan to vaccinate poultry for bird flu (Reuters) 23:42
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)
Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) 24:41
Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) 25:45
Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)
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))
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) 26:51
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 26:51
Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 26:51
Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
FDA-CDC-DOD: 2025-2046 influenza vaccine composition (FDA)
RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) 27:28
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 27:28
RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) 27:28
Novel Drug Approvals for 2025 (FDA)
Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) 27:45
COVID-19 deaths (CDC) 27:45
COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) 27:45
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)
Episode 184: Fool’s Gold: Reframing the Science…..reframing? (Apple Podcasts: Osterholm Update) 29:26
Children with Post COVID-19 Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Display Unique Pathophysiological Metabolic Phenotypes (Journal of Proteome Research) 32:24
FDA COVID mRNA vaccine labeling update (FDA)
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)
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)
Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
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
Stellate Ganglion Block for the Treatment of COVID-19−Induced Parosmia (JAMA Otolaryngology-Head& Neck Surgery) 35:01
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1230 41:16
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 1229: Virology throughout Europe

June 22, 2025

Rich travels to Dubrovnik for the European Congress of Virology 2025 and Vincent joins via Zoom to speak with Stéphane Blanc, Vanda Juranić Lisnić, and Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl about their work on plant viruses, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit

Guests: Stéphane Blanc, Vanda Juranić Lisnić, and Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl

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Links for this episode

Support science education at MicrobeTV
Assembled plant viruses move through plants (PLoS Path) 11:17
Genome formula of multipartite virus (PLoS Path) 11:17
Immune surveillance of cytomegalovirus in tissues (Cell Mol Immunol) 34:44
Cytomegalovirus and NK cells (Nat Commun) 34:44
Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis (J Clin Inves) 56:51
Epstein-Barr virus and lymphoproliferative disease (Transplant) 56:51
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.

TWiV 1228: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

June 21, 2025

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss in shock how RFK is breaking his promise of not altering vaccine policies by appointing new members of the ACIP, next ACIP meeting on guidelines for the COVID and RSV vaccines, circulation of “human insect viruses” including West Nile virus, and an outbreak of mpox on a cruise ship, and the ongoing measles outbreak before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, how to reduce the use of antibiotics for RSV and influenza infections in children, approval of the moderna RSV mRNA vaccine, whether or not the NB.1.8.1 should be included in the fall 2025 vaccines, immunization recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, where to find PEMGARDA, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research, and a shout out for the special episode of TWiV with David Tuller on long COVID and ME/CFS.

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Download TWiV 1228 (27 MB .mp3, 45 min)
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Links for this episode

RFK Jr. is sabotaging the vaccine program. Here’s how to stop him (Washington Post) 2:40
Innovaciones Alumbra (Alumbra Innovaciones) 6:07
John T Walton (Wikipedia) 6:15
Walmart (Wikipedia) 6:15
Sam Walton (Wikipedia) 6:15
Condé Nast (Wikipedia) 6:38
Christy Walton (Wikipedia) 6:15
Vaccine Integrity Project ( CIDRAP)
CIDRAP launches Vaccine Integrity Project (Twin Cities: University of Minnesota)
Next ACIP meeting (CDC: ACIP) 7:13
June meeting: MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES (ACIP)(CDC: ACIP agenda) 7:13
West Nile Virus and Other Nationally Notifiable Arboviral Diseases — United States, 2023 (CDC: MMWR) 11:56
Clade II Mpox Infections Among Cruise Ship Passengers and Crew Members — United States, 2024 (CDC: MMWR) 13:00
H5 bird flu: current situation (CDC: Avian Influenza) 13:38
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)
Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) 14:55
Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) 15:25
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)
Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)
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)
Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
Pediatric antibiotic use associated with respiratory syncytial virus and influenza in the United States, 2008-2018 (JID) 16:20
FDA-CDC-DOD: 2025-2046 influenza vaccine composition (FDA)
RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)
Novel Drug Approvals for 2025 (FDA)
Effectiveness and impact of nirsevimab in Chile during the first season of a national immunisation strategy against RSV (NIRSE-CL) (LANCET: Infectious Diseases) 18:26
Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of mRNA-1345 in Adults at Increased Risk for RSV Disease Aged 18 to 59 Years (CID) 20:16
Moderna Receives U.S. FDA Approval for RSV Vaccine, mRESVIA, in Adults Aged 18–59 at Increased Risk for RSV Disease (moderna) 23:31
Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) 24:34
Spatiotemporal Association of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Cases and Deaths With Exposure to Wildfire Particulate Matter in 2020 (OFID) 26:21
COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
Next ACIP meeting (CDC: ACIP)
Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (biorXiv)
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)
Implementation of an online drug-drug interaction screener for the STRIVE ensitrelvir trial for COVID-19 (OFID) 30:45
Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) 32:32
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)
Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
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
Long COVID and ME/CFS with David Tuller (microbeTV) 33:53
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1228
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 Special: Long COVID and ME/CFS with David Tuller

June 17, 2025

David Tuller returns to TWiV to discuss RFK Jr. and the trashing of American public health, rituximab and ME/CFS, The Sick Times, the Cochrane Mess, a Norwegian Long Covid trial, effort preference and more.

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guest: David Tuller

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
David Tuller writes at virology blog 00:50
CFS, a long tangled tale (virology blog) 1:46, 15:45
The Sick Times 41:53
Norwegian Long COVID trial (virology blog) 47:32
Cochrane mess (virology blog) 41:48
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Content on TWiV should not be taken as medical advice.

TWiV 1227: How can antibody forget a pandemic?

June 15, 2025

TWiV reviews the administrations dismantling of the committee that studies pandemic potential, firing of CDC vaccine advisory committee and replacing them with unqualified anti-vaxxers, zoonotic and sustained Mpox spread in Nigeria and Cameroon, and breadth of influenza A antibody cross-reactivity.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Brianne Barker

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Links for this episode

Support science education at MicrobeTV 3:55
NIH terminates pandemic preparedness committee (Science) 7:22
RFK Jr. fires all ACIP members (CNN) 9:31
RFK Jr. names dubious members of new ACIP (NPR) 11:25
Zoonotic and sustained Mpox spread in West Africa (Nature) 16:17
Breadth of influenza A antibody cross-reactivity (Nat Micro) 50:13
Letters read on TWiV 1227 1:23:10
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:34:48

Brianne – Accidental discovery in planetarium show
Alan – Project Hail Mary
Vincent – How to speak to a vaccine sceptic: research reveals what works

Listener Picks

James – Looking at the world through a microscope

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.

TWiV 1226: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

June 14, 2025

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello in horror examine dismantling of public infrastructure for establishing vaccine guidelines, the creation of a autism taskforce by someone disciplined for practicing medicine without a license, the ongoing pertussis, bird flu and measles outbreaks, before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, the effective of oseltamivir vs supportive care when one is hospitalized with influenza infection, whether or not the NB.1.8.1 should be included in the fall 2025 vaccines, approval of another anti-RSV monoclonal antibody for treatment in infants, immunization recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, where to find PEMGARDA, results from the phase 3 randomized clinical trial of pemivibart, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, how artery disease impacts SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes, contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research and the recent public health programs that have been unfunded.

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Links for this episode

Vaccine Opponent Hired by RFK Jr. Scours Official Records for Link to Autism (Wall Street Journal) 2:25
Correcting our record (Salon) 4:08
You are FIRED! Kennedy removes all ACIP members, eyes replacement (CIDRAP) 4:35
UPI Investigates: The vaccine conflict…..investigative reporting? (UPI)
RFK Jr.: HHS Moves to Restore Public Trust in Vaccines…to avoid conflicts UGHHHH! (Wall Street Journal)
GREAT Vaccine advisory panel (Great Barrington Declaration)
National Vaccine Information Center (Wikipedia: National Vaccine Information Center)
Nonprofit organization 501(c) (Wikipedia)
Kennedy Announces Eight New Members of C.D.C. Vaccine Advisory Panel (NY Times)
Whooping cough deaths! (Kentucky. Gov) 10:16
Kentucky announces two pertussis deaths in infants this year (CIDRAP) 10:16
H5 bird flu: current situation (CDC: Avian Influenza)
Stability of influenza viruses in the milk of cows and sheep (medRxiv) 10:51
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) 11:47
Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) 11:47
Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada) 12:08
Canada’s Ontario province reports death of child from measles (Reuters) 12:20
Measles outbreaks continue with risk of holidays causing surge (gov.UK) 12:35
Measles (WHO)
Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)
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)
Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
Oseltamivir Treatment vs Supportive Care for Seasonal Influenza Requiring Hospitalization (JAMA) 13:40
FDA-CDC-DOD: 2025-2046 influenza vaccine composition (FDA)
RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)
Approval for Merck’s ENFLONSIA™ (clesrovimab-cfor) for Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Lower Respiratory Tract Disease in Infants Born During or Entering Their First RSV Season (Merck) 14:40
Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) 16:30
COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) 16:30
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)
COVID-19 vaccine for 6 months, 12 years (CDC: childhood vaccination)
COVID-19 vaccine for65 years and older (CDC: Adult vaccination)
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)
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)
Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
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
Long-term outcomes of patients with pre-existing coronary artery disease after SARS-CoV-2 infection (eBioMedicine) 17:37
Reaching out to US house representative
Trump Budget Eliminates Funding for Crucial Global Vaccination Programs (NY Times) 20:13
Letters read on TWiV 1226 22:41
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 1225: Poultry flu and SARS-CoV-2

June 8, 2025

TWiV reviews the administration’s call for fools gold-standard science, NIH may publish in-house, avian influenza viruses in birds in China, and Omicron pathogenicity and immune responses.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

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Download TWiV 1225 (70 MB .mp3, 117 min)
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Links for this episode

Support science education at MicrobeTV 2:39
Fool’s Gold Standard Science (Nature) 7:55
NIH may publish in-house (Stat News) 13:02
Diversity of H9N2 in China (Nat Micro) 16:48
Omicron and immunity (Cell Rep) 59:41
Letters read on TWiV 1225 1:37:41
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:40:03

Kathy – mSphere virus species names standardization
Rich – Real Tides & Currents Graph HD
Alan – Invasive termites spreading from privately owned boats
Vincent – Entomologist Answers Insect Questions

Listener Picks

Gerry – Citations Needed podcast 221: Anti-science mugging
Joyrell – Mayday: Air Disaster Favorite one, two, three, for Vincent

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.

TWiV 1224: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

June 7, 2025

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello in dismay examine the MAHA-Make America Health Again-report and its inclusion of fictious studies or “Creative literature degree Medical Science writing”, RFK Jr contradicted by the CDC for COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children, reduction in MMR vaccine coverage, the ongoing bird flu and measles outbreaks, how the General Accounting Office instructed HHS to fix deficiencies in infectious disease testing before the next pandemic, before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, whether or not the NB.1.8.1 should be included in the fall 2025 vaccines approval of Moderna’s mNEXSPIKE vaccine for fall 2025, childhood immunization recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, where to find PEMGARDA, results from the phase 3 randomized clinical trial of pemivibart, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, the identification of an association between FOXP4 and long COVID and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research.

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Links for this episode

The MAHA report (The White House) 2:35
White House Health Report Included Fake Citations (NY Times) 2:35
C.D.C. Contradicts Kennedy and Keeps Advice That Children May Get Covid Shots (NY Times) 7:13
CDC revises recommendation for COVID vaccines in kids (CIDRAP)
Exclusive: CDC Expert resigns from COVID vaccines advisory role (Reuters) 10:13
Trends in County-Level MMR Vaccination Coverage in Children in the United States (JAMA Network) 11:43
U.S. Cancels Contract With Moderna to Develop Bird Flu Vaccine (NY Times) 14:38
Canada Wants to Kill 400 Ostriches. Kennedy and Dr. Oz Want to Save Them (NY Times) 16:02
Confirmations of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial and Backyard Flocks (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) 17:40
H5 bird flu: current situation (CDC: Avian Influenza)
Bird flu (CDC: Avian Influenza)
H5N1 avian flu strikes another Arizona layer farm (CIDRAP)
Bird flu outbreak kills 95% of Hickman’s Arizona chickens, closes West Valley farms (AZCentral)
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan) 21:34
Additional Denver Resident Tests Positive for Measles (Denver: The Mile High City) 21:55
Health officials alert public of potential measles exposure at Denver International Airport and nearby hotel (Colorado: Department of public health and environment) 21:55
Colorado announces another measles case linked to Turkish Airlines flight (CIDRAP) 21:55
Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola) 21:13
Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada)
Measles (WHO)
Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)
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)
Public Health Preparedness: HHS Needs a Coordinated National Approach for Diagnostic Testing for Pandemic Threats (GAO: US Government Accountability Office) 24:12
GAO to HHS: Fix ‘persistent deficiencies’ in infectious-disease testing before next pandemic (CIDRAP) 24:12
Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 25:48
Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
FDA-CDC-DOD: 2025-2046 influenza vaccine composition (FDA)
RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 25:53
RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)
Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
COVID-19 deaths (CDC) 25:58
COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) 25:58
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)
mNEXSPIKE is now approved and coming this fall (mNEXSPIKE) 29:55
FDA approval for mNEXSPIKE (moderna) 29:30
COVID-19 vaccine for 6 months, 12 years (CDC: childhood vaccination) 34:00
COVID-19 vaccine for 65 years and older (CDC: Adult vaccination) 34:51
ACIP Shared Clinical Decision-Making Recommendations (CDC: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) 36:45
Safety and Efficacy of Pemivibart, a Long-Acting Monoclonal Antibody, for Prevention of Symptomatic COVID-19 (CID) 38:19
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)
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)
Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
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
Genome-wide association study of long COVID (Nature Genetics) 42:50
Reaching out to US house representative 46:55
Letters read on TWiV 1224 48:11
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 1223: Someone is guano be sick

June 1, 2025

TWiV reviews RFK Jr.”s MAGA report with non-existent literature citations, a new fungus that could further devastate North American bats, surveillance of avian influenza viruses through bird guano in remote regions, and the receptor for HKU5 coronaviruses is ACE2 from Pipistrellus abramus bats.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

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Download TWiV 1222 (66 MB .mp3, 111 min)
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Links for this episode

Support science education at MicrobeTV 1:28
Bad citations in MAGA report (Med Exp) 5:23
Another fungus for North American bats (NY Times) 7:53
Surveillance of avian influenza through bird guano (Nat Commun) 9:37
ACE2 from Pipistrellus bats is receptor for HKU5 coronaviruses (Nat Commun) 40:48
Letters read on TWiV 1223 1:24:33
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!