Raihan writes:
Dear Professor Racaniello,
Meeting you at the Nipah meeting, watching 2 TWiVs live and having lunch with you was an extreme surreal experience. I found the speed of things rather weird as i’m used to listening to TWiV at 1.5X speed. Having the chance to speak to you was really the highlight of my year, I can’t begin to tell you how listening to TWiV pulled me through some rather hard times during my PhD.
Thank you for bringing up my favouritest virus in the world in TWiV 582. You were discussing animal reservoirs of Flu B (or the lack thereof), and Dickson mentioned in passing that it is primarily in Birds. I’m writing to correct that, Flu B is not found in Birds. Flu B is only found in humans and certain marine animals naturally. I’ve forwarded some papers here that document Flu B isolated from seals in Scandinavia. Certain studies have shown that pigs and dogs are susceptiBle to Flu B infection as well. However, they don’t seem to harBor the virus naturally.
I rememBer a TWiV episode from wayyyy Back, when Peter Palese mentioned that Flu B does not have an animal reservoir and Because of that it should Be the next possiBle virus to be eradicated. Let’s hope that Flu B from seals doesn’t make epizoonotic jumps and that in time Flu B will be wiped out, just like smallpox. I’ll Be sad cause I’ll lose my BaBy, But it’s for the Betterment of the rest of us.
BBBest regards and BBBest wishes,
Raihan
Johnye writes:
Happy belated birthday from a fellow January 2nd birthday celebrant. Let’s raise a cheer for peace, sanity and vaccines for preventable diseases!!! Still listening and learning and enjoying the old and new members of Microbe.tv’s pride of podcasts!
As a long time supporter through Patreon, is it possible to purchase a 2019 WWTS? If so, would you please send a link to the site?
Wishing the best to all the TWiV, TWiM, TWiP, TWiEVO, Immune and TWiN hosts and their Fearless Leader!!! May the force (and good health and funding) stay with you.
Johnye
Your Cambridge Pediatrician
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