Jessica writes:
As a young nurse years ago at a midwestern University Hospital, I watched numerous interns and residents examine wounds, infected and otherwise.
Not only were they nearly universally ignorant or dismissive of sterile technique, but almost every male one accidentally dragged his necktie in the wound.
A bow tie is much more safe for patient care, and ID docs like Daniel Griffin are hip to this.
Jessica Mercure, RN, MA
Avid TWIV listener
Luke writes:
Hello TWiV Team!
It is currently hotter than it ought to be in Columbia, MO but that just means that I have to wake up earlier to water the tomatoes.
I have a question regarding a recent paper discussed in TWiV 911 regarding EBV nanoparticle vaccines. In particular, one point was brought up in reference to Figure 5, wherein viral DNA was observed in some individuals of the 60-mer group and it was suggested that this implies sterilizing immunity was not established. However, since the mice challenged here were not producing their own Abs,
(1) is there any reason to suspect this conclusion to be different in a model that could both produce its own Abs and permit infection?
(2) How sterilizing does the vaccine need to be? Yes, here we are trying to avoid establishment of a latent infection but can the immune system realistically identify a microbe as a problem, initiate an adaptive immune response, and deploy the troops before a single cell is infected? Should we approach this infection from a different angle, mayhap with improving CD8+ T Cell recognition of latently infected cells?
(3) Additionally, it seems that the study was cut off short as the virus could simply have been in a latent phase and only able to spread once the Abs from the passive immunization dissipated.
Thank you all for your time and I really appreciate what you folks do!
Luke Kruse
PhD Candidate
Chemical EngineeringĀ
University of Missouri
Martha writes:
Dear Vincent and the gang,
Is polio rearing its ugly head once again? Coming back from the dead (if you’re in that specific belief system: virus = living)?
Of course not. The fact that I know this has to be unanimously attributed to the excellent educational work of microbe.tv since its inception in 2008. In fact, episode 2 has it all for the uninitiated and it will forever remain one of my favourites, as it showcases how fundamental, basic knowledge about the virus needs to guide appropriate public health measures. In this light, it is forever frustrating that journalists and “the media” (and sometimes even other “experts”) do not seek out the information about what they report and just fearmonger on
the internet. The death of expertise indeed…
Luckily NY doesn’t test its sewage, right? Bc look what happens nowadays when you find a virus. OR I’m having this the wrong way round and some brilliant mind spread the angst to have reluctant parents go get the bloody vaccine.
I think it might be timely to pick up the educational torch on the next episodes to highlight the upsurge in polio ALL AROUND the globe due to this other little virus who’s been basking in the sunshine for so long.
I’m sorry this became a bit of a rant. So let me end with anotherexpression of gratitude. I love, love, loooooove Twiv and I hope it willnever ever end broadcasting.
Cheers to the team,
Martha
proud supporter of microbe.tv
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Charles writes:
Hello TWiVers;
Too Damned Hot in NC today.
If you need to be pissed about the intersection of science and politics read this:
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/99364
How can there be a licensed family doc that is a vaccine skeptic? State boards should have suspended their licenses a long time ago.
Later,
Charles
Mauro writes:
Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The children’s book contest prompted me to write this poem. I don’t expect to win the prize. I am not a writer, a poet or a native English speaker, but I hope this makes the cut. If I’m lucky to get it read on the show, may I ask for Vincent to do the honors? The ending suits you.
I had fun writing it anyway.
What you do is outstanding. When I wake up I pick up the phone not to check for messages but for new TWiV episodes.
Will somebody please think of the viruses?
Though now we are alive
The Final day approaches
They don’t need us to survive:
Bacteria, rats or roaches
But who among the species
will suffer our demise?
Who will carry their pieces
as they mutate, infect and splice?
For they are part of us
And we are part of them
If we’re sharing our genomes,
aren’t we the same?
The less of us there is
the fewer of them there areĀ
the viruses for whomĀ
there is no reservoir
And so one day we’ll find
In this humble Earth we roamĀ
There’ll be no Human kind,
And no human virome
I don’t worry about walruses
or any animal you pick.
I wonder about viruses…
The kind that make you sick