Infectious diseases physician and author of ‘Booster Shots’ Adam Ratner joins TWiV to discuss measles, measles vaccination, how to approach anti-vaccine sentiment, and the uncertain future of children’s’ health.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Brianne Barker, and Jolene Ramsey

Guest: Adam Ratner

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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 bemoan the continued outbreak of Sudan virus and growing number of paralytic polio cases before discussing growing measles outbreak in the US and Europe, the vaccine, an interview with a parent whose child died of measles infection, adverse effects of vaccination and how parents do not think they have accurate information about “bird flu” before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, what happens when antiviral therapy is delayed, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, long COVID interventions and the benefits of antiviral therapies on post acute SARS-Cov-2 infection sequelae.

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  • Sudan virus disease (WHO) 3:00
  • New cases of poliomyelitis  (GPEI) 5:08
  • Measles 159 in Texas (Texas Health and Human Services) 8:01
  • 2025 Measles outbreak guidance (New Mexico Health) 8:15
  • First cases of measles in Oklahoma (Oklahoma) 8:40
  • Measles case on Long Island (CBS News) 8:48
  • Public health confirms measles case in Los Angeles County (County of LA Public Health) 9:31
  • Measles exposure (Department of public health: City of Philadelphia) 9:46
  • Where US measles outbreaks are spreading (New York Times) 9:56
  • Statement from the chief public health officer of Canada on the increase in measles cases and the risk to people in Canada(Health Canada) 11:30
  • Measles and rubella monthly report (ecdc) 15:32
  • Measles on the rise again in Europe (EurekAlert) 15:32
  • Measles: symptoms, spread & SSPE Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (YouTube) 17:15
  • Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) 7:45
  • Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM: NCBI)
  • Measles vaccination: know the facts? (Infectious Diseases Society of America)
  • Deaths following vaccination: What does the evidence show? (Vaccine) 22:38
  • Facts and myths about measles (LANCET: Infectious Diseases) 18:58, 23:45
  • His daughter was America’s first measles death in a decade (The Atlantic) 26:31
  • Less than half of parents think they have accurate information about bird flu (EurekAlert) 27:20
  • Many US parents feel uninformed about avian flu risks (CIDRAP)
  • Trends in respiratory pathogen testing at us children’s hospital (JAMA Network) 32:49
  • Changes in respiratory viral testing before and after the covid-19 pandemic (JAMA Network) 32:53
  • Free COVID-19 test program stops taking orders (Health day) 38:11
  • Human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza a(h5n1) — California (CDC MMWR) 28:50
  • Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) 38:30
  • US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 38:30
  • Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView) 38:30
  • RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) 39:04
  • Estimated effectiveness of Nirsevimab against respiratory syncytial virus (JAMA Network) 39:16
  • Weekly US influenza surveillance report (CDC FluView)
  • US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 39:04
  • RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) 39:04
  • COVID-19 deaths (CDC) 40:10
  • COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) 40:10
  • Wuhan market was epicenter of pandemic’s start (Nature) 41:10
  • COVID-origins study links raccoon dogs to Wuhan market (Nature) 41:10
  • What sparked the COVID pandemic? (Nature) 41:10
  • COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC) 43:03
  • SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
  • Inhaled COVID vaccine (AeroVax) 44:35
  • Made-at-McMaster inhaled COVID-19 vaccine begins phase-2 human trial (McMaster University) 44:35
  • Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
  • EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
  • Fusion center (Prime Fusions)
  • CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
  • NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
  • Risk of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 and oral antivirals in adults aged over 60 years (International Journal of Infectious Diseases) 47:47
  • Letters read on TWiV 1200 50:18
  • 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 covers a second death over 150 cases of measles in Texas, utter failure of removal of type 2 poliovirus from OPV, more OPV doses administered in Gaza, second Ebola outbreak in Sudan, vaccine being tested, Trump administration cancels $400 million in grants to Columbia University, bat-infecting merbecovirus that binds human ACE2 and infects human cells, and innate immune sensing of rotavirus by intestinal epithelial cells leads to diarrhea.

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

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Weekly Picks 1:35:19

KathyMice cry out when they urinate, and give mouth to mouth resuscitation
RichFirefly Aerospace
Alan Strong Museum of Play
VincentHow a PhD student’s lab size affects their chance of future academic success

Listener Picks

LarryJames Harrison’s rare blood protected many infants

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 with Vincent Racaniello deliberate the effect of the absence of US foreign aid on the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and death of two children, continued use of nOPV2 in Gaza and the utter failure of type 2 poliovirus removal from the oral poliovirus vaccine, growing measles outbreak in the US including the death of a second child, measles infection parties, the use of fat soluble vitamin A and fish liver oil as anti-viral therapies as well as the history and proven safety of the measles vaccine before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, what happens when antiviral therapy is delayed, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, and where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, long COVID interventions.

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Download TWiV 1198 (26 MB .mp3, 43 min)
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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 passing of Ann Palmenberg, deadly illness in western Congo, US disruption of mpox and ebolavirus programs, first measles death in Texas outbreak, flu vaccine selection meeting postponed, US withdraws from polio, malaria, HIV programs and more, clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses have a long HA stalk, and systems vaccinology to identify predictors of durable antibody response to multiple vaccines in humans.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker

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Weekly Picks 1:24:56

BrianneVideo of the Northern Lights from Space
RichVaccination for Sudan Ebola virus disease
Alan Specialized moth wing scales give it 3-D camouflage (news and paper)
VincentWHO Recommendations for Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season

Listener Picks

GerryEukaryotic Transcription
AnneThe science of the solar system

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 lament about the downfall of public health from “postponement” of the advisory committee on immunization practices and the FDA VRBPAC influenza strain selection meetings to how the communication pause prevents public notice of NIH study section meetings, and withdrawal of CDC promotions for the ‘flu vaccine’ before discussing the end of Ebola outbreak in Uganda, funding from Saudi Arabia for polio eradication, the continuing and growing measles outbreak in the US including misinformation from the Secretary of HHS, highly pathogenic avian flu and its economic effect, ie the cost of eggs before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, an update of Paxlovid administration, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, long COVID interventions and FDA approval of adjuvanted Novovax COVID vaccine.

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Download TWiV 1196 (35 MB .mp3, 59 min)
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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.

The entire TWiV team comes together to pay tribute to Dickson Despommier, then reviews antibodies to H5N1 virus in veterinarians working with dairy cattle, Elisabeth Bik donates prize money for data integrity analyses, measles outbreak in Texas, and use of an alternative genetic code by human microbiome phages.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, Brianne Barker, Daniel Griffin, Angela Mingarelli, and Jolene Ramsey

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Weekly Picks 1:31:09

AngelaRare spotting of humpback anglerfish “diablo negro” (Melanocetus johnsonii) in Tenerife, Canary Islands. First time ever observed alive!
BrianneMoonwalking with Einstein inspired by reading NY Times article about Recent memory champ
KathyWitness History 9 minute podcasts
RichAPOD: Perijove 11: Passing Jupiter
Alan –  Ecological succession on abandoned farmland
Jolene –  Parasitic Diseases Lectures and first 27 episodes of This Week in Parasitism
VincentThe New City

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 reminiscence about Dickson before discussing discharging Ebola patients, another announcement of emergency measures to control polio spread and the third nOPV2 vaccination campaign in Gaza in less than 6 months, the measles outbreak in the US, vaccination campaign for chickens against high pathogenic avian flu before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, an update of Paxlovid administration provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, and where to go for answers to your long COVID questions.

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  • In memory of Dickson (NY Times) 1:43
  • All Ebola patients discharged in Uganda (DG Alerts) 5:30
  • Uganda discharges Ebola patients (WHO Uganda) 5:30
  • Emergency measures to stop polio…..isn’t this the same plan as last year? (GPEI) 6:58
  • A third nOPV2 campaign…..but I thought OPV stops transmission (Reuters) 9:33
  • Worst outbreak of measles in 30 years for Texas….go big or go home! (AP News) 10:58
  • Measles 58 in Texas…. (Texas Health and Human Services) 10:58
  • High pathogenic avian influenza virus infection of indoor domestic cats (CDC MMWR) 13:32
  • Avian influenza in dairy cattle in Arizona (AZEIN) 22:33
  • Third avian flu spillover! (CIDRAP)
  • No vaccine hesitancy in chickens…..vaccinate all! (Science) 24:28
  • Zoetis to supply conditionally licensed avian influenza H5N1 vaccine for chickens (Zoetis) 23:21
  • High path avian influenza in mammals (USDA: Animal and plant health inspection service)
  • How to vaccinate your chicken (WikiHow) 25:53
  • Vaccine failure due to poor administration.(the poultry site)
  • Human cases of H5N1 in US rise to 4 (CBS News) 29:03
  • Canada’s buying vaccine as US rats become infected (CIDRP) 29:51
  • Canada purchases avian influenza vaccine for those at high risk (Canada Public Health) 29:51
  • Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
  • How the communications pause endangered us about influenza (AP News)
  • Most intense flu season in 15 years (AP News)
  • US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
  • Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
  • RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
  • Weekly US influenza surveillance report (CDC FluView)
  • RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)
  • US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
  • COVID-19 case fatality rate and infection fatality rate from 2020 to 2023 (Journal of Infection and public health) 33:18
  • Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
  • COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
  • COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
  • COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
  • SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
  • Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
  • EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
  • Infusion center near you….if in NY (Prime Fusions)
  • CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
  • NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
  • Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
  • Paxlovid update (Pfizer)
  • Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
  • A randomized, double-blind, Phase 1, single- and multiple-dose placebo-controlled study of the safety and pharmacokinetics of IN-006, an inhaled antibody treatment for COVID-19 in healthy volunteers (eBioMedicine) 38:59
  • Ensitrelvir for the Treatment of Nonhospitalized Adults with COVID-19 (CID) 41:51
  • Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
  • Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
  • What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
  • When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (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
  • Letters read on TWiV 1194 46:35
  • 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 a facility accident that killed monkeys, new bird blu genotype found in Nevada dairy cattle, Argentina plans to leave WHO, yellow fever on the rise, dynamics of HPV infections in women, and Epstein-Barr virus protein targets B cell receptor for degradation.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Angela Mingarelli

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Weekly Picks 1:29:16

Angela – Mitochondrial swap from cancer to immune cells thwarts anti-tumour defences (one, two)
Alan – A little adventure game
Vincent –  The Staggering Success of Vaccines

Listener Picks

JohnPercy Lavon Julian
DebiDon’t Look Up

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 confirmation of Robert F Kennedy as HHS sectary, mpox, Ebola, how the American people support vaccine development and administration, the measles outbreak in the US-Texas, Georgia and influenza: the number of human infections, high avian flu in mammals, house cats and dairy cows before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, an update of Paxlovid administration provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, how long COVID varies between children and adults and if viral infection reduces telomere length in sperm.

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  • Confirmation of RFK, Jr as HHS sect (NY Times) 2:34
  • Did you know mpox in NY?….(Reuters) 3:08
  • Mpox in sex workers in the Congo and in NY (CIDRAP) 3:08
  • 9 confirmed, 265 suspected Ebola cases in Uganda (AP news) 3:38
  • WHAT!? Support vaccines: availability and development. WHAT? (Businesswire) 4:16
  • Measles rising in the unvaccinated. You mean the vaccine does something positive?  (ABC News) 5:28
  • Measles in Texas….go big or go home (Texas Health and Human Services) 6:28
  • Vaccination Conscientious exemptions in Texas (Texas Health and Human Services)
  • 2, 6, 14 measles hospitalizations in Texas (CNN) 6:56
  • Decreases in childhood vaccinations SchoolVaxView (CDC) 7:25
  • 2 then 24 cases of measles in two weeks (Texas Health and Human Services)
  • Measles in small town Texas (NY Times)
  • Measles in the US Texas, Georgia, Rhode Island, New York, New Mexico:
  • Elimination of measles (JID)
  • Influenza taxonomy (NCBI) 11:15
  • H5N9 in commercial duck farm, California (American Animal Hospital Association) 9:35
  • Second type of bird flu circulating in ducks (Scientific Amercia) 9:44
  • Variant H1N2 flu in Iowa (CIDRAP) 10:55
  • All types of influenza (CDC Influenza) 11:15
  • Bird flu in the zoos: Bronx and Queens (Gothamist) 14:20
  • High path avian influenza in mammals (USDA: Animal and plant health inspection service) 15:50
  • Bird flu in house cats…..I tawt I taw a puddy tat (KFF Health News) 15:36
  • New strain of influenza in dairy cows (AP News) 15:13
  • Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
  • How the communications pause endangered us about influenza (AP News) 20:06
  • Most intense flu season in 15 years (AP News)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 19:20
  • Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)
  • RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
  • Weekly US influenza surveillance report (CDC FluView) 21:36
  • RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection) 21:36
  • 10 year surveillance of RSV hospitalization in adults(JID) 21:40
  • Seasonality of RSV: 2017-2023 (CDC: MMWR)
  • What doctors wish patients know about RSV (AMA)
  • US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses) 24:15
  • Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan) 24:15
  • COVID-19 deaths (CDC) 24:15
  • COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC) 24:15
  • COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
  • SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
  • Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
  • EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
  • Fusion center near you….if in NY (Prime Fusions)
  • CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
  • NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
  • Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
  • Paxlovid update (Pfizer)
  • 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)
  • When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (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
  • Proportion of Long COVID incidence in adults and children (CID) 27:16
  • SARS-CoV-2 infection effects sperm telomere length (Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics) 28:59
  • Pediatric gastrointestinal tract outcomes during the postacute phase of COVID-19c]\ (JAMA Network) 30:53
  • Letters read on TWiV 1192 33:08
  • 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.