Vincent speaks with Kostya Chumakov about his career: raised by two virology parents in Moscow, trained in virology by Vadim Agol, then moving to the US FDA where he developed a molecular test for measuring production consistency of oral poliovirus vaccine.

TWiV discusses genetic evidence of susceptible wildlife in SARS-CoV-2 positive samples at the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, polio cases in African linked to a new polio vaccine that was designed to not cause the disease, and structural conservation of hepatitis B virus capsid proteins over millions of years despite a shift from a naked to an enveloped capsid.

TWiV explains the meaning of vaccine-derived poliovirus found in London sewage, risk of long COVID after infections with Delta or Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, and enhancers of innate immune signaling as broad-spectrum antivirals. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello,…

TWiV returns to the 2012 brouhaha over transmission experiments with avian H5N1 influenza virus, re-examines the claim of SARS-CoV-2 RNA integration into human DNA, and reviews the engineering and testing of a genetically stable version of the attenuated type 2 Sabin poliovirus vaccine.

TWiV revisits Brazil’s rejection of Sputnik vaccine, examines influenza transmission via the air from the nasal epithelium of ferrets, and a history of accidental releases of polioviruses and their relevance for eradication of poliomyelitis.

The TWiV team covers outbreaks of eastern equine encephalitis virus in the US and poliovirus in the Philippines, and explain how a chemokine induced by HIV-1 infection helps release more virus particles from cells.