This Week in Virology

TWiV 932: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

September 3, 2022

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses vaccine effectiveness against influenza illness in children, clinical manifestations of infection with poliovirus, spike protein-independent attenuation of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in laboratory mice, concordance of SARS-CoV-2 results in self-collected nasal swabs vs swabs collected by health care workers in children and adolescents, probable animal-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 causing a pet shop-related outbreak, laboratory-confirmed COVID-19–associated hospitalizations among adults during BA.2 variant, SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells and antibodies, Nirmatrelvir use and outcomes during the Omicron surge, real-world effectiveness of early Molnupiravir or Nirmatrelvir–ritonavir in hospitalized patients, and distinguishing features of long COVID.

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Vaccine effectiveness against Influenza illness in children (CID) 5:09
Clinical manifestations of infection with Polio (JAMA) 6:28
Characteristics of deaths among fully vaccinated persons with Coronavirus (CID) 16:41
Spike protein attenuation of Omicron Variant in lab mice (Cell Reports) 18:27
Concordance of SARS-CoV-2 results in nasal swabs self-collected vs healthcare collected (JAMA) 20:53
Probable animal-to-human transmission of Sars-Cov-2 (CID) 22:20
PAXLOVID patient eligibility screening checklist (FDA)
Remdesivir fact sheet for providers (Veklury)
Bebtelovimab fact sheet for providers (FDA)
COVID-19–associated hospitalizations among adults during BA.2 variant (CDC) 25:19
Sars-Cov-2 specific T-cells and antibodies (CID) 26:59
Nirmatrelvir use and outcomes during the Omicron surge (NEJM) 29:28
Effectiveness of early Molnupiravir or Nirmatrelvir–Ritonavir in hospitalized patients (The Lancet) 32:49
Distinguishing features of long COVID (medRxiv) 37:31
Unexplained post-acute infection syndromes (Nature Med) 39:25
Contribute to Floating Doctors fundraiser at PWB 39:26
Dr. Griffin’s treatment guide (pdf)
Letters read on TWiV 932 39:52
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to [email protected]

TWiV 931: Driven to immunodistraction

August 28, 2022

TWiV reviews the genetic characterization of a new strain of type 2 oral polio vaccine and its implications for eradication, and how a polymorphism in humans comprising a single amino acid change in an antibody molecule regulates vaccine elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies against influenza virus HA.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

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Download TWiV 931 (73 MB .mp3, 121 min)
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Characterization of novel OPV2 from humans (MMWR) 2:24
Engineering nOPV2 (TWiV 756) 3:19
Genome sequence of Rockland County NY OPV2 isolate (Genbank)
Allelic polymorphism and vaccine induction of influenza virus bnAbs (Immunity) 37:05
Letters read on TWiV 931 1:20:56
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:38:41

Dickson – Small groups: 1. Miles Davis Quintet. Signature album: Kind Of Blue. Signature song: So What.
Brianne – World Excel Championships
Kathy – L yre bird background and video
Alan – The Kissing Bug, by Daisy Hernandez
Vincent – Five top detective fiction writers. #1 Martin Beck by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö

Listener Picks

John – Fevers, Feuds and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History by Paul Farmer
Carol – The Social Dilemma

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 930: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

August 27, 2022

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses antibody response against nonpoliovirus enteroviruses, clinical presentation and virological assessment of confirmed human monkeypox virus cases in Spain, object and surface contamination with monkeypox virus, monkeypox virus infection in humans across 16 countries, clinical characteristics of ambulatory and hospitalized patients with monkeypox virus infection, compassionate use of Tecovirimat for the treatment of monkeypox infection, monitoring of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine among children, Pfizer and BioNTech announce updated vaccine data supporting efficacy in children, direct capture of neutralized RBD enables rapid point-of-care assessment of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titer, Pfizer and BioNTech submit application for bivalent vaccine, and Oral Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir in non-hospitalized vaccinated patients with COVID-19.

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Links for this episode

Antibody response against nonpoliovirus enteroviruses (ASM) 6:45
Clinical presentation of Monkeypox cases in Spain (The Lancet) 9:49
Object and surface contamination with Monkeypox virus infection (CDC) 12:18
Environmental persistence of Monkeypox virus (Emerg Inf Dis) 14:24
Monkeypox virus infection across 16 countries (NEJM) 17:42
Clinical characteristics of hospitalization patients with Monkeypox (CMI) 21:36
Usage of Tecovirimat for treatment of Monkeypox infection (JAMA) 22:47
PAXLOVID patient eligibility screening checklist (FDA)
Remdesivir fact sheet for providers (Veklury)
Bebtelovimab fact sheet for providers (FDA)
Monitoring of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine among children (CDC) 26:41
Pfizer and BioNTech announce updated vaccine data (Pfizer) 27:27
Capture of RBD enables point of care assessment (Science Direct) 28:18
Pfizer and BioNTech submit application for bivalent vaccine (Pfizer) 30:57
PAXLOVID in non-hospitalized vaccinated patients 3515
Contribute to Floating Doctors fundraiser at PWB 3915
Dr. Griffin’s treatment guide (pdf)
Letters read on TWiV 930 39:38
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to [email protected]

TWiV 929: Empathyology with Andy Slavitt

August 21, 2022

Andy Slavitt joins TWiV to discuss his book, Preventable and how failures in leadership, politics, and selfishness doomed the U.S. response to SARS-CoV-2.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Andy Slavitt

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Links for this episode

In the Bubble podcast 21:37
Preventable (Amazon) 27:02, 43:55
Letters read on TWiV 929 1:29:13
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:41:38

Dickson – Best big band #5: 1. Glenn Miller’s Orchestra -1940-1944: Signature song: In The Mood. Signature album: An Album Of Outstanding Arrangements
Brianne – Cross-stitched Microbes
Kathy – Time trials for bottle emptying
Alan – Meow Parlor
Vincent – VIRUS x1,000,000 (2022) by Drew Berry wehi.tv

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 928: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

August 20, 2022

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses the public health response to a polio case in a unvaccinated NY state resident, human to dog transmission of monkeypox virus, Tecovirimat and the treatment of monkeypox, detection of asymptomatic monkeypox virus infections among male sexual health clinic attendees in Belgium, what to do if you are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and isolation and precautions for people with COVID-19, risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in health care workers, effectiveness of HEPA filters at removing infectious SARS-CoV-2 from the air, Pfizer reports additional data on Paxlovid, hospitalization encounters for infection after Paxlovid, a randomized trial of Metformin, Ivermectin, and Fluvoxamine, and readmissions, post-discharge mortality and sustained recovery among patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

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Download TWiV 928 (25 MB .mp3, 42 min)
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Links for this episode

Response to Polio case in an unvaccinated person in New York (CDC) 1:58
Human to dog transmission of Monkeypox virus (The Lancet) 9:53
Tecovirimat for the treatment of Monkeypox (NEJM) 15:15
Detection of asymptomatic Monkeypox among Belgian men (Nature Medicine) 17:17
Exposure to disease and precautions (CDC) 19:30
Risk of infection in healthcare workers (JAMA) 24:36
Effectiveness of HEPA filters (ASM) 25:32
PAXLOVID patient eligibility screening checklist (FDA)
Remdesivir fact sheet for providers (Veklury)
Bebtelovimab fact sheet for providers (FDA)
Pfizer reports additional data on PAXLOVID (Pfizer) 27:40
Hospitalization encounters for infection after PAXLOVID (CDC) 28:09
Trial for Metformin, Ivermectin, and Fluvoxamine (NEJM) 30:46
Readmission, post-discharge mortality, recovery among patients (IDSA) 34:04
Contribute to Floating Doctors fundraiser at PWB 35:16
Dr. Griffin’s treatment guide (pdf)
Letters read on TWiV 928 35:39
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to [email protected]

TWiV 927: Merchlinsky vs monkeypox

August 14, 2022

Michael Merchlinsky joins TWiV to discuss the development of two smallpox antiviral drugs and two smallpox vaccines and their uses during the monkeypox outbreak.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

Guest: Michael Merchlinsky

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Download TWiV 927 (61 MB .mp3, 102 min)
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Links for this episode

Michael on Anything but academic (TWiM 145)
Development of Tecoviromat (TPOXX) (Antiviral Res) 37:42
Use of Jynneos vaccine (MMWR) 32:51
Limitations of Tecoviromat (NEJM) 35:00
Poliovirus in NYC wastewater (NY Times) 1:18:42
Letters read on TWiV 927 1:23:53
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:37:44

Dickson – Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. Signature song: Take The A Train; Signature album: Black, Brown, And Beige and Herding Cats: Harlem 1958
Kathy – How the US Postal Service reads terrible handwriting
Rich – JWST/chorizo gag
Vincent – Bat Conservation Trust

Listener Picks

Bill – The End of Manual Transmission
J – How the Krebs cycle powers life and death – with Nick Lane

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 926: TWiV clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

August 13, 2022

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses guidance for prevention and treatment of monkeypox, post-infectious symptoms among children and adolescents, profiling post-infectious syndromes of different variants, comparison of vaccine Ankara vs intradermal routes of administration, infection in vaccinated individuals treated with or without PAXLOVID, duration of symptoms with positive rapid antigen after infection, epidemiologic characteristics of monkeypox, and sequelae of post-acute infection.

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Download TWiV 926 (28 MB .mp3, 46 min)
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Links for this episode

Guidance for prevention & treatment of Monkeypox (CDC) 3:19
Post-infection symptoms among children and adolescents (CDC) 20:06
Profiling post-infection syndromes in different variants (medRxiv) 29:49
Comparison of vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vs intradermal routes of administration (NIH)
PAXLOVID patient eligibility screening checklist (FDA)
Remdesivir fact sheet for providers (Veklury)
Bebtelovimab fact sheet for providers (FDA)
Infection in vaccinated individuals treated with or without PAXLOVID (medRxiv) 25:45
Duration of symptoms with positive rapid antigen after infection (J Virological Methods) 10:28
Epidemiologic characteristics of Monkeypox (CDC) 4:07
Sequelae of post-acute infection (ScienceDirect)
Contribute to Floating Doctors fundraiser at PWB 33:32
Dr. Griffin’s treatment guide (pdf)
Letters read on TWiV 926 35:25
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to [email protected]

TWiV 925: First kisses and second doses

August 7, 2022

TWiV discusses monkeypox virus, poliovirus in NY, Marburg virus in Ghana, ancient herpes simplex virus type 1 genomes, and immunogenicity of different combinations of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

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

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Download TWiV 925 (61 MB .mp3, 102 min)
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Links for this episode

How monkeypox virus spreads (CDC) 7:06
Vaccination against monkeypox virus (CDC) 14:53
Monkeypox case trends (CDC) 16:58
Polio in New York State (NY Dept of Health) 20:40
Poliovirus in NY wastewater (NBC New York) 22:02
Marburg disease in Ghana (WHO) 33:59
Ancient herpesvirus genomes (Sci Adv) 44:19
Combinations of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (Cell Rep Medicine) 1:07:22
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:23:27

Brianne – Everyone Loses on Jeopardy Eventually
Kathy – Climate spiral followed by Carl Sagan
Rich – Most Popular Desktop Browsers 1993 – 2022
Alan – I Am Promise
Vincent – Polio in New York

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 924: TWiV clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

August 6, 2022

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses Tecovirimat for treatment of monkeypox, the safety and acceptance of vaccination after multisystem inflammatory syndrome, variants in solid organ transplant recipients, masks for prevention of respiratory virus infections, pre-exposure prophylaxis with Evusheld, the association between Evusheld administration and infection, if repeat administration of casirivimab and imdevimab is well-tolerated, viral and symptom rebound in untreated infection, extended Remdesivir infusion for persistent infection, Baricitinib in patients admitted with infection, and cognitive impairment 13 months after hospitalization.

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Download TWiV 924 (28 MB .mp3, 46 min)
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Links for this episode

Armchair Expert with Malcolm Gladwell 2:01
Tecovirimat for treatment of monkeypox (OFID) 7:36
Safety and acceptance of vaccination after MIS (JPID) 12:38
Is variant less virulent in solid organ transplant recipients (Transplant Infectious Disease) 13:48
Masks for prevention of respiratory virus infections (Annals of Internal Medicine) 15:50
Pre-exposure prophylaxis with Evusheld (CMI) 18:04
Association between Evusheld administration and infection (CID) 19:55
Repeat administration of casirivimab and imdevimab well-tolerated (ISID) 21:54
PAXLOVID patient eligibility screening checklist (FDA)
Remdesivir fact sheet for providers (Veklury)
Bebtelovimab fact sheet for providers (FDA)
Viral and symptom rebound in untreated infection (medRxiv) 24:43
Extended Remdesivir infusion for persistent infection (OFID) 30:01
Baricitinib in patients admitted with infection (The Lancet) 32:13
Cognitive Impairment 13 months after hospitalization (OFID) 33:27
Contribute to Floating Doctors fundraiser at PWB 36:07
Dr. Griffin’s treatment guide (pdf)
Letters read on TWiV 924 36:38
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to [email protected]

TWiV 923: If a bat pees in a forest, does anyone care?

July 31, 2022

From The Third International Symposium on Infectious Diseases of Bats in Ft. Collins, Colorado, TWiV speaks with Vincent Munster and Raina Plowright about their careers and their research on bats, bat viruses, bat ecology and spillover events.