This Week in Virology

TWiV 801: We can hear the coffin

September 5, 2021

The meteorologicomaniacs discuss the COVID-19 pandemic global death toll, effectiveness of vaccines against the delta variant, and how analysis of ancient viral DNA reveals that two pathogenic human viruses were brought into Mexico during the transatlantic slave trade.

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

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Links for this episode

ASV Vaccine Town Halls 4:31
COVID-19 excess mortality (eLife) 5:17
Tracking pandemic death toll (eLife) 5:41
COVID-19 vaccines and delta variant (NEJM) 27:50
Slave trade carries viruses into Mexico (eLife) 47:32
Letters read on TWiV 801 1:23:33
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Pick 1:37:54

Dickson – Victor Borge, Phonetic Punctuation
Brianne – Cat TV
Rich – Cochrane review: Ivermectin for preventing and treating COVID‐19
Alan – Cockpit video of flying into Oshkosh
Vincent – Medical News Network Morning Medical Update

Listener Picks

Jody – Human Body Theatre and Plagues: The Microscopic Battlefield

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 800: COVID-19 clinical update #78 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

September 4, 2021

In COVID-19 clinical update #78, Daniel Griffin covers ivermectin, convalescent plasma, disease in pregnant women, children and COVID, delta outbreak in an elementary school, validation of at-home antigen test, shedding in infected vaccinated people, mRNA vaccine antibody responses compared, AZD7442, fluvoxamine, one year outcomes in hospitalized patients, and post-vaccination disease.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Download TWiV 800 (25 MB .mp3, 41 min)
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Links for this episode

Do not take veterinary ivermectin (FDA) 3:23
Ivermectin side effects (CDC) 6:22
Do not use convalescent plasma (IDSA) 8:17
COVID-19 in pregnant women (JAMA) 10:02
Children and COVID-19 data (AAP) 12:10
Long COVID in 11-17 year olds (Res Square) 13:08
Delta outbreak elementary school (MMWR) 16:13
Validation of at-home antigen test (JAMA) 18:13
Shedding in infected vaccinated people (medRxiv) 21:59
Compared antibody responses after mRNA vaccination (JAMA) 24:54
AZD7442 PROVENT phase III (AZ) 27:41
Fluvoxamine trial (medRxiv) 30:00
One-year outcomes hospital survivors (Lancet) 33:26
Post-vaccination illness (Lancet) 35:37
Letters read on TWiV 800 40:52
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 799: A very model of a modern TWiV

September 2, 2021

TWiV reviews models for determining correlates of neutralizing antibody protection against COVID-19, and for identifying key vector and host species that drive transmission of zoonotic pathogens.

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

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Download TWiV 799 (77 MB .mp3, 128 min)
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Links for this episode

Correlate of protection needed for COVID-19 vaccines (Nat Med) 4:27
Neutralizing antibodies predict protection against symptomatic COVID-19 (Nat Med) 16:03
Host and vector importance for Ross River virus (eLife) 55:32
Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (NY Times) 1:46:58
Letters read on TWiV 799 1:27:59
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:58:07

Brianne – A microscopic video shows the coronavirus on the rampage
Kathy – Sabin Oral Sundays in Cuyahoga County, 1962
Rich – The Continuing COVID-19 Pandemic: Current Issues and Glimpse Into the Future
Vincent – Demand Surges for Deworming Drug for Covid, Despite Scant Evidence It Works

Listener Picks

Ronald – Immunity to COVID-19 could last longer than you’d think
Agnes – Space Shuttle Prints

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 798: Rats, more coronaviruses!

August 29, 2021

The TWiV team explains what the Biden report on SARS-CoV-2 origins did not: evidence that the virus came from Nature, not a lab; and reveals new coronaviruses in rodents that inhabit populated areas in southern China.

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

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Download TWiV 798 (68 MB .mp3, 114 min)
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Weekly Picks 1:32:46

Dickson – The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales
Kathy – Solar System ball drop
Rich – Dr. Fox effect
Alan – Patty Wagstaff virtual airshow cockpit video
Vincent – Office Hours

Listener Picks

Karen – The Dog Will See You Now
Alicia – Bio-Rad GTCA Song

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 797: COVID-19 clinical update #77 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

August 28, 2021

In COVID-19 clinical update #77, Daniel Griffin discusses children becoming increasingly infected, virological characteristics of infections in vaccinated health care workers, transmission dynamics among close contacts, licensing of Pfizer mRNA vaccine, cost of hospitalization of unvaccinated patients, 29 times higher hospitalization rates in unvaccinated patients, boost in neutralizing antibody potency and breadth by third vaccine dose, and use of J&J vaccine as second dose.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Download TWiV 797 (25 MB .mp3, 41 min)
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Links for this episode

COVID-19 false dichotomies (BMC Inf Dis) 2:47
Virological characteristics of infections (medRxiv) 5:59
Transmission among close contacts (JAMA) 8:39
Comirnaty licensed (FDA) 12:53
Cost of hospitalization of unvaccinated (Health Sys Tracker) 14:17
29 times higher hospitalization among unvaccinated (MMWR) 16:06
Third dose boosts antibody potency and breadth (medRxiv) 19:51
J&J second dose (J&J) 22:25
Letters read on TWiV 797 30:57
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 796: The vary hungry spike with Paul and Theodora

August 22, 2021

Paul and Theodora return to TWiV to explain their research on determining the number of neutralizing epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike that are recognized by antibodies, and engineering of a polymutant spike with twenty amino acid changes that demonstrates the high genetic barrier to escape from convalescent serum.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker

Guests: Paul Bieniasz and Theodora Hatiziiouannou

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Download TWiV 796 (68 MB .mp3, 114 min)
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Links for this episode

High genetic barrier for SARS-CoV-2 antibody escape (bioRxiv) 4:46
Enhanced antibody one year after COVID-19 (Nature)
Letters read on TWiV 796 1:49:14
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:37:12

Dickson – NIF and Photon Science: fusion reaction generates 1.3 MJ
Brianne – The PCR Song
Rich – 1) How Boston Dynamics’ Spot Robot Works! 2) Inside the lab: How does Atlas work? 3) Atlas | Partners in Parkour
Theodora – Kevin Parry turning into random objects
Vincent – Lex Fridman

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 795: COVID-19 clinical update #76 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

August 21, 2021

In COVID-19 clinical update #76, Daniel Griffin covers association of age and pediatric household transmission, rapid antigen testing in remote communities, shedding of infectious virus in vaccinated individuals, FDA amendment of mRNA vaccine EUA to allow a third dose, new vaccine mandate for NY state, full vaccination suppresses selection of variants, effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in nursing homes, sustained effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization, and no benefit from early convalescent serum in high-risk outpatients.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Download TWiV 795 (25 MB .mp3, 41 min)
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Links for this episode

Age and pediatric household transmission (JAMA) 2:30
Rapid antigen testing in remote communities (MMWR) 5:13
Shedding of infectious virus from vaccinated individuals (medRxiv) 7:13
Additional vaccine doses for immunocompromised (FDA) 11:17
New vaccine mandate for New York (NYS) 14:08
Vaccination suppresses variant emergence (medRxiv) 15:25
mRNA vaccine effectiveness in nursing homes (MMWR) 18:24
Effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization (MMWR) 22:36
mRNA vaccine sustained effectiveness against hospitalization (MMWR) 24:42
No benefit of convalescent plasma for high-risk outpatients (NEJM) 28:13
Letters read on TWiV 795 30:56
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 794: PAMS spray SARS-CoV-2

August 15, 2021

TWiV summarizes cases of arbovirus disease during 2019 in the US, and explains a study that estimates infectiousness throughout the SARS-CoV-2 course of infection.

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

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Download TWiV 794 (71 MB .mp3, 118 min)
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Links for this episode

Vaccine Town Halls (ASV) 3:53
Arboviral illness, US, 2019 (MMWR) 8:25
Estimating SARS-CoV-2 infectiousness (Science) 43:02
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks 1:35:48

Dickson – Climate Reports | United Nations
Brianne – Astronomy Picture of the Day: A Perfect Spiral
Rich – COVID-19 false dichotomies
Alan – Fixing broken machines
Vincent – MKBHD Studio Tour 2021

Variant Vernacular by Scott

What is in a name?
Letter? Number? Location?
It’s all Greek to me.

Times Are(n’t) a Changin’
Delta means “a change”
But if you want a game change,
Look to the vaccine.

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 793: COVID-19 clinical update #75 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

August 14, 2021

In COVID-19 clinical update #75, Daniel Griffin reviews vaccine effectiveness against transmission, modeling effectiveness of daily antigen tests, updated CDC guidance for fully vaccinated, risk of infection with time after mRNA vaccination, reduced risk of infection after vaccination, therapeutic anticoagulants in critically ill patients, and 6 month outcomes in hospitalized patients.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Download TWiV 793 (25 MB .mp3, 41 min)
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Links for this episode

Vaccine effectiveness against transmission (Euro Surveill) 10:09
Effectiveness of daily antigen tests (medRxiv) 14:22
Interim guidance for fully vaccinated people (CDC) 17:45
Elapsed time since BNT162b2 vaccine and reinfection (medRxiv) 20:29
Reduced risk of infection after vaccination (MMWR) 24:23
Therapeutic anticoagulants in critically ill patients (NEJM) 27:42
6 month outcomes in hospitalized patients (J Gen Int Med) 32:10
Letters read on TWiV 793 33:59
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV 792: Transmission with Jeffrey Shaman

August 12, 2021

Jeffrey Shaman returns to TWiV to explain how epidemiologists measure SARS-CoV-2 movement among humans, including calculation of the reproductive index, secondary transmission, and what factors affect transmission.