In episode 80 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Jason Zucker joins host Dr Michael Saag to provide an update on the Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII (TMVII) infection. Dr Zucker is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia University and Assistant Medical Director of the New York City STD Prevention Training Center. Dr Zucker is an experienced HIV, HIV prevention, and sexual health care provider providing status-neutral care to patients of all ages in New York. His research focuses on the intersection of data science, behavioral science, and implementation science. Dr Zucker discusses the emerging dermatophyte infection TMVII, its transmission, clinical presentation, and diagnosis. Dr Zucker and Dr Saag also detail treatment strategies, emphasizing the significance in sexual health and STI management.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:21 – Background, epidemiology and transmission 

5:58 – Clinical presentation and diagnosis 

9:18 – Treatment protocols for TMVII

11:32 – Challenges and considerations in management of TMVII

15:38 – Future outlook and final thoughts 

Resources: 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) - Notes from the Field: Trichophyton mentagrophytes Genotype VII — New York City, April–July 2024

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7343a5.htm

Going anti-Viral: Episode 30 - Update on Mpox - a Public Health Emergency - Dr Jason Zucker

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/GTwXSvkcJ74 

Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-30-update-on-mpox-a-public-health-emergency/id1713226144?i=1000675771251 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

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In episode 79 of Going anti-Viral, we represent a panel discussion from June 9, 2026, as part of the IAS–USA Dialogue series Emerging Infections and Health Threats. This Dialogue is a must listen as our distinguished panel of infectious disease experts dives deep into some of the most pressing public health challenges facing the world today. Moderated by Carlos del Rio, MD, a Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, this Dialogue brings together world-class experts Yvonne Maldonado, MD of Stanford University, and Peter Chin-Hong, MD, of the University of California San Francisco. The panel discusses the impact of the World Cup on public health as well as providing updates on current health threats including hantavirus, Ebola, measles, alpha-gal syndrome, and influenza. The panel also provides an update on alpha-gal syndrome and tick-borne diseases, as well as a discussion about an effort by Google to control diseases spread by mosquitoes. Finally, the panelists discuss the risk of the New World screwworm fly to livestock and humans, an outbreak of Campylobacter from the consumption of raw milk, and the impact of the World Cup on influenza in the US.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:32 – Impact of the World Cup travel on public health

7:10 – Lessons learned from the hantavirus outbreak 

13:42 – Status of Ebola outbreak, treatment options, and vaccine development

25:18 – Update on measles in the US and public health response

37:22 – Overview of alpha-gal syndrome and tick-borne diseases

42:20 – Update on the Google Debug project

45:31 – Risk of the New World screwworm fly to livestock and humans 

47:42 – Outbreak of Campylobacter from the consumption of raw milk

52:59 – Overview of influenza season in southern hemisphere and risk to the US

57:46 – Closing remarks 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

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In episode 78 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Rajesh T. Gandhi joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss the process of guidelines development. Dr Gandhi is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Principal Investigator and Co-Director of the Harvard University Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). Dr Gandhi is the Vice-Chair of the ACTG, Vice-Chair of the Infectious Diseases Society of America COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel, Chair of the International Antiviral Society-USA Panel on Antiretroviral Drugs for Treatment and Prevention of HIV in Adults, and the Lead Editor for Infectious Diseases, NEJM Clinician. Dr Gandhi and Dr Saag explore the intricate process of developing HIV treatment guidelines, including evidence review, panel selection, and updates on new topics like transgender care and substance use disorders. They discuss how guidelines are created, their impact on clinical practice, and future directions in HIV care.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:54 – The purpose and impact of guidelines

4:00 – Panel composition and selection process

6:00 – Guideline structure and key updates

12:34 – Emerging topics: transgender care and transplant medicine

14:31 – Substance use disorders and treatment innovations

16:03 – Evidence-based recommendations and their strength

22:07 – Guidelines development process and team dynamics

24:42 – Living guidelines versus published documents

28:41 – Closing thoughts and future directions

Resources: 

Going-anti-Viral: Episode 32 - Update on the New Antiretroviral Therapy Guidelines - Dr Rajesh Gandhi

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/G7FQTInz-dY 

Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-32-update-on-the-new-antiretroviral-therapy/id1713226144?i=1000678818027 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 77 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Debika Bhattacharya joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss the management of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and vaccination. Dr Bhattacharya is a Clinical Professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine and specializes in the management of HIV and HIV/viral hepatitis coinfection and sees patients with viral hepatitis and HIV/viral hepatitis coinfection at UCLA and its affiliated clinics. Her research involves viral hepatitis clinical therapeutics and long-term clinical outcomes in persons with HIV/viral hepatitis or viral hepatitis alone. Dr Saag and Dr Bhattacharya discuss HBV infection and vaccination, especially among people with HIV addressing prevalence, serology interpretation, vaccination strategies, and management of hepatitis B in the context of HIV treatment. They also reinforce the need for more research into therapies that will lead to a cure for hepatitis B. 

0:00 – Introduction 

1:16 – Understanding hepatitis B and its impact on people with HIV  

2:56 – Vaccination strategies for hepatitis B 

4:53 – Interpreting hepatitis B serology results 

8:38 – Vaccination protocols and recommendations 

13:19 – Managing patients with hepatitis B 

14:29 – Long-acting therapies and hepatitis B risks 

17:29 – Screening and monitoring for hepatitis B 

19:01 – Navigating core antibody positivity 

23:36 – The importance of antibody titers 

28:23 – Final thoughts on hepatitis B management 

Resources: 

Going-anti-Viral: Episode 31 - Will we ever have a cure for hepatitis B? - Dr Kenneth Sherman

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/yh48RFOrISk 

Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-31-will-we-ever-have-a-cure-for-hepatitis-b/id1713226144?i=1000677466892 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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...

In episode 76 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Kelly Gebo joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss the impact of long-acting injectable HIV treatments on public health. Dr Gebo is Dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University. An infectious disease physician-scientist, educator, and accomplished academic leader, Dr Gebo’s work focuses on health equity, access to care, and outcomes for people affected by infectious diseases such as HIV, COVID-19, and Mpox. Dr Gebo and Dr Saag discuss the current state of HIV epidemiology, the promise of long-acting injectables, and strategies to improve access and prevention efforts. Dr Saag and Dr Gebo also emphasize that advocacy is needed to expand access to long-acting injectable HIV treatments to reach at-risk populations.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:30 – Current epidemiology of HIV: a global and US perspective

3:25 – Barriers to HIV screening and treatment

6:27 – Exploring PrEP and long-acting injectables

8:56 – Reaching at-risk populations for HIV prevention

11:33 – Insurance coverage and access to HIV prevention

13:59 – The role of primary care in HIV prevention

16:27 – Advocacy for policy changes in HIV prevention

23:53 – Implementation science and future directions

Resources: 

The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health

https://publichealth.gwu.edu/ 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 75 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Shibani Mukerji joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss a presentation she gave at the 2026 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) entitled Cognitive Aging in HIV: Clinical Assessment and Management. Dr Mukerji is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and is a practicing neurologist in the Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research focuses on HIV pathogenesis in the central nervous system and her clinical focus is neurology-infectious diseases, with specific interests in neurological complications and aging in people living with HIV. Dr Mukerji shares her journey in neurology, her research on HIV and neurological complications, and insights into brain health in aging populations, especially those with HIV. Dr Mukerji and Dr Saag offer practical approaches to cognitive assessment, sleep, mood, and movement issues, emphasizing a longitudinal, patient-centered model of care. 

0:00 – Introduction 

2:07 – Dr Mukerji 's journey in neurology and infectious diseases

7:39 – Cognitive aging in HIV: clinical assessment and management

13:26 – Understanding cognitive health in HIV patients

18:29 – Assessment and management of depression, sleep, and movement disorders 

26:26 – Impact of hearing loss and emotional health on cognitive impairment

31:15 – The Valcour tripod: cognitive, motor, and mood assessment

34:15 – Future directions in HIV and neurology research

Resources: 

CROI 2026: https://www.croiconference.org/

View Dr Mukerji 's presentation at CROI 2026: https://www.croiwebcasts.org/p/2026croi/croi/20 

View Presentation by Dr Victor Valcour at CROI 2019: https://www.croiwebcasts.org/p/2019croi/159 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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...

In episode 74 of Going anti-Viral, Dr John Frater joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss a presentation he gave at the 2026 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) entitled Immunology of HIV Cure and Beyond: Navigating Immunology Presentations at CROI 2026.  Dr Frater is a Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Oxford where he leads the HIV Reservoir and Cure Group. The aim of his research is to explore strategies for targeting the reservoir of latent HIV infection in treated individuals, with a specific interest in primary HIV infection. He is a lead investigator on several major HIV clinical studies, many of which include antiretroviral therapy treatment interruptions. His laboratory focus is on immune responses that may lead to viral control and the impact of viral variation. Dr Frater and Dr Saag discuss the basics of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy as well as the barriers to HIV cure. They also address complexities of HIV latency and the challenges in identifying and eliminating latent reservoirs. Dr Frater addresses the promising strategies involving immune responses in targeting reservoirs and the role of early treatment in HIV cure.  

0:00 – Introduction 

2:15 – Basics of HIV infection and the barrier to HIV cure: latently infected cells

3:56 – Why do some cells die after 1 day

6:04 – Strategies to identify and eliminate latently infected cells

8:52 – The role of immune responses in targeting reservoirs

11:42 – Timing of reservoir establishment and early treatment 

16:49 – Measuring the latent reservoir: challenges and methods

18:16 – The London Patient and cure evidence

22:14 – Future directions and hope for HIV cure

Resources: 

CROI 2026: https://www.croiconference.org/

 View Dr Frater’s presentation at CROI 2026: https://www.croiwebcasts.org/p/2026croi/croi/CR-55003 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
Apple Podcasts
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X
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...

In episode 73 of Going anti-Viral, we represent a panel discussion from March 26, 2026, as part of the IAS–USA Dialogue series Emerging Infections and Health Threats. This Dialogue is a must listen as our distinguished panel of infectious disease experts dives deep into some of the most pressing public health challenges facing the world today. Moderated by Carlos del Rio, MD, a Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, this Dialogue brings together world-class experts Yvonne Maldonado, MD, and Peter Chin-Hong, MD. The panel discusses a recent federal court ruling regarding the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and addresses the latest news on rates of vaccination and an update on emerging viral outbreaks, including measles, influenza, COVID-19, meningitis, tuberculosis, mpox, and RSV. The panel also reflects on the implications of the lack of leadership at the CDC on public health.

0:00 – Introduction 

2:33 – March 2026 federal court ruling pausing the work of the ACIP

7:08 – Review of the reduction in immunization rates in the US

12:51 – Measles cases in the US and efforts to address misinformation

20:28 – Breaking down recent influenza rates 

25:42 – Update on COVID-19 – variants and vaccination

33:42 – Leadership gap at the CDC and implications for public health 

41:35 – Meningitis outbreak in England and status of vaccination in the US

49:46 – Increase in cases of tuberculosis in the US

56:45 – Update on mpox cases and vaccination

59:12 – Brief review of RSV cases and vaccination and closing remarks 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 72 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Alan Winston joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss a presentation he gave at the 2026 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) entitled Neurodegeneration and Dementia Risk in Older Adults With HIV: Biomarkers and Epidemiology. Dr Winston is a Professor of HIV and Genitourinary Medicine at Imperial College London and Consultant Physician at St. Mary's Hospital, London. His research focuses on noninfectious comorbidities associated with HIV in the modern antiretroviral era, with a strong focus on central nervous system complications. He is the principal clinical investigator on the POPPY study, a cohort study describing the incidence and nature of comorbidities in HIV. Dr Winston and Dr Saag discuss the history and current understanding of neurodegeneration and dementia risk in older adults with HIV and review the impact of antiretroviral therapy and neuroinflammation. They review clinical assessment and screening for dementia and neurodegenerative disease including a detailed discussion of imaging techniques and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) examination.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:30 – HIV and neurodegeneration

4:37 – Current manifestations of CNS disease in older adults with HIV

8:28 – Assessing cognitive health in older adults with HIV

12:29 – Screening for dementia and neurodegenerative disease

18:20 – Neuropsychometric testing, CSF examination, and management of CSF escape

24:23 – Imaging techniques and future directions

Resources:

CROI 2026: https://www.croiconference.org/ 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 71 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Peter Hunt joins host Dr Michael Saag to provide a review of the science presented at the 2026 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). Dr Hunt is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco and is the Associate Chief for Research in the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Department of Medicine, and Co-Director of the UCSF-Bay Area Center for AIDS Research for Basic and Translational Science. He was also a Vice Chair of the Scientific Program Committee for CROI 2026. Dr Hunt provides an in-depth overview of the key scientific presentations at CROI, highlighting breakthroughs in HIV research, pediatric HIV treatment, biology of the HIV capsid, vaccine research, and innovative therapies. Dr Hunt and Dr Saag also discussed new antiretroviral formulations and highlights of the state of HIV cure research.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:13 – Valganciclovir in infants with HIV and CMV pneumonia

4:25 – Differences between pediatric and adult CMV infection

7:34 – Plenary by Dr Wesley Sundquist on structural biology and the HIV capsid

12:00 – Other plenary presentations at CROI 2026

14:27 – Powerful Martin Delaney presentation by Peter Staley

15:50 – Plenary by Dr Jeanne Marrazzo on Doxy PEP and resistance concerns

16:30 – Vaccine development and neutralizing antibodies by Dr Kevin Saunders

17:25 – New symposium: Hot Takes on the Clinical Highlights of CROI 2026

19:38 – New antiretroviral formulations and long-acting agents

25:10 – HIV cure research, overview of TACK agents, and a poster on an efavirenz intensification study

28:39 – A look ahead to CROI 2027 and closing remarks 

Resources:

Watch Peter Staley's presentation at CROI 2026 YouTube

Going-anti-Viral: Episode 70 - Peter Staley Apple Podcasts

Going-anti-Viral: Episode 69 - Dr Kevin Saunders Apple Podcasts

CROI 2026: https://www.croiconference.org/

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
Apple Podcasts
YouTube
X
Facebook
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...