This Week in Virology

TWiV 719: COVID-19 clinical update #49 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

February 13, 2021

In COVID-19 clinical update #49, Daniel Griffin discusses CDC guidelines on mask use, drop in test frequency in the US, resurgence of COVID-19 in Brazil, possible impact of Pfizer vaccine on viral load, EUA for bamlanivimab and etesevimab administered together, and preliminary results of Tocilizumab in hospitalized patients.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Resurgence of COVID-19 in Brazil (Lancet) 7:41
Pfizer vaccine reduces viral load (medRxiv) 10:34
EUA for bamlanivimab plus etesevimab (pdf) 12:58
Tocilizumab in hospitalized patients (medRxiv) 14:54
Bacterial superinfections in COVID-19 (Open For Inf Dis) 17:08
Letters read on TWiV 719 21:16
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 718: Recombining vaccine schedules

February 11, 2021

TWiV explores single dose administration and timing of second dose of AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine, safety and efficacy of Sputnik V, and control of coronavirus recombination by a viral proofreading exonuclease.

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

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AZD1222 single dose efficacy and booster timing (Lancet preprint) 2:17
Safety and efficacy of Sputnik V vaccine (Lancet) 26:14
Proofreading exonuclease regulates CoV recombination (PLoS Path) 39:20
Letters read on TWiV 718 1:08:13
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:38:56

Brianne – Do scientists read enough fiction?
Rich – Insects in flight; Insect flight|Capturing takeoff
Kathy – Badger seal
Vincent – MicrobeTV merchandise

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 717: Paul and Theodora, pandemic explorers

February 7, 2021

Theodora and Paul return to TWiV to explain how they quickly pivoted their retrovirus laboratories towards SARS-CoV-2, their work on the antibody response to infection and its durability, and the emergence of variants with increased resistance to neutralization.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit

Guests: Paul Bieniasz and Theodora Hatziioannou

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Download TWiV 717 (70 MB .mp3, 117 min)
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Evolution of antibody immunity to SARS-CoV-2 (bioRxiv) 48:43
mRNA vaccine elicited antibody to variants (bioRxiv) 1:01:54
Escape from neutralizing antibodies by SARS-CoV-2 variants (eLife) 55:53
Musings of an anonymous, pissed off virologist (virology blog) 1:34:05
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:46:30

Dickson – Mars Perseverance Rover
Alan – The Outlaw Ocean
Rich – Anand Varma Photography
Vincent – Virology Lectures 2021

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 716: COVID-19 clinical update #48 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

February 6, 2021

In COVID-19 clinical update #48, Daniel Griffin reviews effect of spike amino acid changes on neutralization with monoclonal antibodies, Sputnik V safety and efficacy results, increased reactogenicity after a single vaccine dose in seropositive individuals, single dose vaccination in seropositive health care workers, and results of three clinical trials on the use of anticoagulants.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Download TWiV 716 (31 MB .mp3, 52 min)
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Links for this episode

Resistance of variants to mAb neutralization (bioRxiv) 14:45
Safety and efficacy of Sputnik V (Lancet) 19:00
Increased vaccine reactogenicity in seropositives (medRxiv) 23:05
Single dose vaccination in seropositive health care workers (medRxiv) 24:18
Update on vaccine intervals (CDC) 25:48
Single dose AZD1222 results (Lancet preprints) 34:02
Three RCT on anticoagulants (NIH) 34:44
Letters read on TWiV 716 44:48
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 715: Fauci ouchy

February 4, 2021

TWiV explains why hydroxychloroquine failed in humans despite showing antiviral effects in cells, and reviews the published data on the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine.

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

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Links for this episode

TMPRSS2 is why hydroxychloroquine failed (PLoS Path) 3:58
Safety and efficacy of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (NEJM) 39:48
Letters read on TWiV 715 1:05:10
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:35:57

Brianne – How the Body Reacts to Viruses
Rich – How do wombats poop cubes?
Kathy – The Verse by the Side of the Road
Vincent – Janet Iwasa’s SARS-CoV-2 entry animation

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 714: The shape of spike with Jason McLellan

January 31, 2021

Jason McLellan joins TWiV to reveal all we know about the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, followed by Novavax and J&S phase 3 results and a discussion of variants of concern: neutralization by vaccine-induced antibodies, transmission, and virulence.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Amy Rosenfeld

Guest: Jason McLellan

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Download TWiV 714 (76 MB .mp3, 127 min)
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Links for this episode

Prefusion spike structure (Science) 3:27, 10:29
Neutralization of VOC by vaccine induced antibodies: Moderna and Pfizer 57:48
Novavax COVID-19 vaccine phase 3 results (Novavax) 1:15:41
J&J COVID-19 vaccine phase 3 results (J&J) 1:27:48
B.1.1.7 has been in the US since November 2020 (virological.org) 1:37:27
NERVTAG report on B.1.1.7 virulence (pdf) 1:46:57
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:53:21

Dickson – Pandemic Pivot and Tuba Skinny
Alan – Technological challenges in vaccine rollout
Rich – I was lucky to find this vaccine anywhere
Vincent – Lady Gaga’s MIXED METER Star Spangled Banner?!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 713: COVID-19 clinical update #47 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

January 30, 2021

In COVID-19 clinical update #47, Daniel Griffin reviews phase 3 results for Novavax and J&J vaccines, transmission in K-12 settings in Wisconsin, data on Lilly and Regeneron monoclonal antibody therapy, and a study of colchicine for treatment of disease.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Download TWiV 713 (21 MB .mp3, 35 min)
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Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 712: Deutscher Virus Wahnsinn

January 28, 2021

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

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Links for this episode

German Society for Virology 2:42, 1:35:26
Ticks in Germany and TBEV (Sci Rep) 1:05:20
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 711: The New Heal

January 24, 2021

The TWiVers review Biden’s national strategy for 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

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Download TWiV 711 (72 MB .mp3, 120 min)
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Links for this episode

Biden’s COVID-19 strategy (pdf) 10:30
CDC evaluation of BinaxNOW antigen test (MMWR) 52:09
FDA instructions for BinaxNOW test (pdf) 52:28
Adam Neely on Sea Shanties (YouTube) 1:05:29
Letters read on TWiV 711 1:06:55
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:43:27

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

TWiV 710: COVID-19 clinical update #46 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

January 23, 2021

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.