This Week in Virology

From the 2024 International Hepatitis B virus meeting in Chicago, TWiV speaks with Mala Maini and John Tavis about their careers, the replication and transmission of HBV, and the HBV Foundation.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit

Guests: Mala Maini and John Tavis

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• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• Immunobiology and pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus infection (Nat Rev Immunol)
• HBV Foundationhttps://www.hepb.org/
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin informs us about “walking pneumonia”, the phase of the polio supplemental immunization campaign in Gaza, mpox circulation, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, the beginning of influenza season, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, contrasting public health concerns between the US and the UK, if mRNA boosters affect mucosal immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, if antiviral therapy prevents long COVID and viral sequalae in healthy young marines.

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• Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections increasing (CDC)
• Polio vaccination campaign restarts (Reuters)
• North Gaza polio campaign postponed (Reuters)
• 1St clade 1b mpox in UK (GOV.UK)
• UK imports mpox (CIDRAP)
• Clinical trial of MVA-BN for children (Bavarian-Nordic)
• How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• Marburg Virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• Laboratory confirmed influenza associated hospitalizations 2010-2023 (CDC)
• Influenza weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView)
• Mucosal nirsevimab levels in breakthrough bronchiolitis (LANCET Infectious Diseases)
• RSV NETwork (CDC RSV)
• Respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
• COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
• COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
• Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
• UK public health data tracker (UKHSA)
• COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
• SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
• Repeat COVID-19 mRNA vaccination contributes to mucosa immunity (Science Translational Medicine)
• XBB.1.5 mRNA booster vaccination limited mucosal immunity (Science Translational Medicine)
• I repeat: COVID mRNA booster vaccinations suboptimal respiratory mucosal immunity (Science Translational Medicie)
• Facial Palsy after COVID-19 vaccination? (Emerging Infectious Diseases)
• New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA)
• IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA)
• Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
• EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
• Fusion center near you….if in NY (Prime Fusions)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
• Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
• Viral and symptom rebound following monoclonal antibody therapy (JID)
• Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
• Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir reduces COVID-19 hospitalization and prevents long COVID (Scientific Reports)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
• Time to Sustained Recovery Among Outpatients With COVID-19 Receiving Montelukast vs Placebo (JAMA Network Open)
• What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
• When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC)
• Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
• Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• Clinical and functional assessment of SARS-CoV-2 sequelae among young marines
• (LANCET: Regional Health Americas)
• Letters read on TWiV 1162
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV reviews continuing expansion of poliovirus type 2, removal of influenza B/Yamagata from the vaccine, Nobel Prize for miRNAs, protective immune response with a adenovirus-associated virus vector expressing a computationally designed hemagglutinin, and viral gene drive during herpes simplex 1 infection in mice.

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

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• Continued expansion of type 2 poliovirus (reliefweb)
• No more polio case map at polioeradication.org
• B/Yamagata removed from flu vaccine (NPR)
• Nobel Prizes for miRNA (ScienceInsider)
• AAV-vectored influenza vaccine (J Virol)
• Herpesvirus type 1 gene drive in mice (Nat Commun)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Brianne – Virus and Vaccines Information Page from NIH All of Us Research Program Kathy – For a Pivotal Vaccine: Trial, Error and Two Young Lives Rich – October 17 2024 APOD: The Clipper and the Comet Alan – Opening a deep-sea vent with a crowbar Vincent – The expanding world of neuroscience

Jason – Solar eclipse on Mars and Polaris Program and their Harmony of Resilience Ryan – New York’s childhood vaccine coverage remains high

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin informs us about mpox circulation, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, new recommendations for the RSV and pneumococcal vaccines by the CDC, the beginning of influenza season, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, contrasting public health concerns between the US and the UK, what the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is when indoors, the difference between NVX-CoV2327 and BNT162b2 for adolescents, why 65 years and older should get a second boost of the COVID-19 vaccine, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, the clinical trial for evaluating how novel treatments of COVID-19 affect long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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• Grim marker: mpox over a 1000 deaths in Africa (CIDRAP)
• Global trend of mpox outbreak 2022-2024 (WHO)
• Second time mpox is a global public health emergency (Reuters)
• Mpox variant in Germany (Reuters)
• Epidemiological analysis of confirmed mpox cases in Burundi (EuroSurveillance)
• The 63rd case of Marburg virus infections in Rwanda (CIDRAP)
• How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• Marburg virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• FDA approves RSV vaccine ABRYSVO for 18-59 individuals of increased risk (Pfizer)
• Respiratory syncytial virus infection-NET (CDC)
• New  pneumococcal vaccine recommendations…..it’s a virus? (CDC Newsroom)
• Recommending PREVNAR 20, 20 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for 50 and over (Pfizer)
• And one more, CAPVEXIVE, pneumococcal 21 valent conjugate vaccine (Merck)
• Penumococcoal 21-valent conjugate vaccine CAPVEXIVE(MerckVaccines.com)
• Influenza surveillance: Key updates (CDC)
• COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
• COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
• Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
• What is happening across the pond? (UKHSA data dashboard)
• COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
• SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
• Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission when indoors (JID)
• NVX-CoV2327 vs BNT162b2 vaccines in adolescents (Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal)
• Second dose of 2024-2025 COVID19 vaccine recommended for 65 and older (CDC Newsroom)
• New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA)
• IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA)
• Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
• EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
• Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
• Viral and symptom rebound following monoclonal antibody therapy (JID)
• Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
• What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
• When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC)
• Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
• Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• ASH living guidelines on use of anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis in patients with COVID-19: executive summary, Dr. Daniel Griffin (Blood Advances)
• Novel treatments for acute COVID-19 should account for long COVID (JID) The persistence of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) after SARS-CoV-2 infection (Journal of Infection)
• Letters read on TWiV 1160
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

Vincent travels to the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm to meet up with Niklas Björkström and Joakim Dillner to review their research on the endometrial immune system, and the plan to eliminate cervical cancer in Sweden.

Guests: Niklas Björkström and Joakim Dillner

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• Endometrial immune system variation (Sci Immunol)
• Immune defense in the womb (News from Karolinska)
• HPV vaccination and screening for elimination (Nat Comm)
• Cervical cancer elimination strategies (Int J Cancer)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin informs us about mpox circulation and new vaccine approval, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, and the largest outbreak of whooping cough in a decade before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, immunity among those over 65th following the 3rd dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, how well the SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test performed, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the effect of remdesivir on survival and readmission of hospitalized patients, if cognitive impairment following virus infection impairs one’s driving and how long COVID affects Chinese society.

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• Undiagnosed MPXV infections are high in men who have sex with men (BMC Infectious Diseases)
• WHO, now a vaccine approval agency, Jynneos for teens  (CIDRAP)
• Mpox outbreak global trends (WHO)
• How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• Marburg virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• Largest whooping cough outbreak in US in a decade (NPR)
• COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
• COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
• Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
• COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
• SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
• Insurance relates to effectiveness and waning of immunity following 3rd dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine? (JID)
• New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA)
• IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA)
• Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
• EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
• How well do you test: performance of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid detection test (eBioMedicine)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
• Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
• Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
• What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
• When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC)
• Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
• Steroids, dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• Remdesivir-associated survival outcomes among immunocompromised patients (CID)
• Remdesivir Effectiveness in Reducing the Risk of 30-day Readmission in Vulnerable Patients (CID)
• Measurement of circulating viral antigens post-SARS-CoV-2 infection (CMI: Clinical Microbiology and Infection)
• DUCI: driving under cognitive influence of COVID-19 (Neurology)
• Long COVID facts and findings: (LANCET: Regional Health Western Pacific)
• Letters read on TWiV 1158
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV reviews Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, cryo-EM based discovery of a parvovirus causing black wasting disease in farmed beetles, and a mosaic nanoparticle experimental vaccine that elicits cross-reactive sarbecovirus responses in pre-vaccinated animals.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Brianne Barker

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• Marburg virus disease, Rwanda (WHO)
• Suspected German Marburg case tests negative (Politico)
• Cryo-EM discovery of insect parvovirus (Cell)
• Mosaic sarbecovirus nanoparticle experimental vaccine (Cell)
• Letters read on TWiV 1157
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Brianne – ASM Lesson Plans Alan – A City on Mars, and this blog by a ham radio operator hit by Hurricane Helene Vincent – How to Win A Nobel Prize

Laura – Science of Public Communication (original article)

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin updates us about polio SIA campaign in Gaza, the durability of protection following administration of GSK’s recombinant antigen RSV vaccine, mpox in an Ugandan jail, the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of different COVID-19 vaccine platforms, disease severity in those not previously vaccinated with those vaccinated but not infected, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, if COVID-19 doubles the risk for heart attacks, stroke and death and if COVID-19 affects the regions of the brainstem.

Become a patron of TWiV!

• Polio: second round of vaccination in Gaza (Reuters)
• Season 3 for GSK RSV vaccine protection (CIDRAP)
• Positive data for Arexvy, the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine (GSK)
• Mpox convicted felon: in Ugandan prison (Reuters)
• How to stop Marburg virus (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• Marburg virus fact sheet (Rwanda Biomedical Centre)
• CDC summary of the “Rwanda Marburg Situation” (CDC)
• 700 doses of a Marburg vaccine from the Sabin Vaccine Institute to Rwanda  (CIDRAP)
• USAID mobilizes Marburg outbreak response in Rwanda (United States Agency International Development)
• COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
• COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
• Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
• COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
• SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
• PICOBOO: immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of different COVID-19 vaccine (Journal of Infection)
• COVID-19 in previously unvaccinated compared with previously uninfected vaccinated (JID)
• New preventive COVID-19 agent (ISDA)
• IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA)
• Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
• EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
• Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
• COVID Data tracker (CDC
• Differences in COVID-19 outpatient antiviral treatment (MMWR)
• Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
• What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
• When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC)
• Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
• Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• COVID-19 is a coronary artery disease with genetic interaction with ABO blood type (AHAIASA Journals)
• COVID-19 doubles risk of heart attack, stroke and death (EurekaAlert!)
• QTL mapping at 7T in COVID-19: brainstem and outcomes (Brain)
• Letters read on TWiV 1156
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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

TWiV reviews mask effectiveness against respiratory infections, EEE death in NY State, viruses with zoonotic potential in farmed fur animals, and genetic tracing of market wild life and viruses at the Huanan Seafood Market, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit

Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

• MicrobeTV Discord Server
• Review confirms mask effectiveness (original article)
• EEE death in Ulster County NY (CBS News)
• EEE on TWiV 1145
• Viruses of farmed fur animals (Nature)
• Tracing of wildlife and viruses at COVID-19 epicenter (Cell)
• Letters read on TWiV 1155
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Rich – Immunize.org, Vaccineinformation.org, National Network of Immunization Coalitions Alan – Birdcast Vincent – A universal framework for inclusive 15-minute cities

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, the lack of immune durability following pertussis vaccination, recommendations for maternal vaccination and antibody therapy to protect against infant RSV, vaccine security for Mpox, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, how to put on and take off PPE to avoid contamination, where to find PEMGARDA, a reminder of how and when to use steroids to treat COVID-19, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the lack of immune durability elicited by mRNA vaccine and the finding of how SARS-CoV-2 infection impacts memory, cognition and reduces grey matter volume.

Become a patron of TWiV!

• Rwanda: Marburg virus disease (WHO)
• Passport required?…..Marburg virus commutes to Germany (CIDRAP)
• Outbreak of whooping cough/pertussis…..no lifelong immunity following vaccination? (Bloomberg
• Protection of infants by maternal antibodies against RSV by either vaccination or nirsevimab (MMWR)
• WHO recommendations for RSV: maternal vaccination and antibody shot  (Reuters)
• Ziresovir for RSV hospitalized infants (NEJM)
• Crawling to effective anti-RSV countermeasures (NEJM)
• The $800 million pledge for African mpox response (Reuters)
• COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
• COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
• Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
• COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
• SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
• Doffing your PPE– contact precautions (CID)
• mRNA vaccination does not elicit durable immune response (Nature Medicine)
• IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 (IDSA)
• Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
• EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
• CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
• NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
• Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
• Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
• Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
• Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
• What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
• When your healthcare provider is infected/exposed with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC)
• Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
• Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID)
• Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
• Mechanisms of long COVID and therapeutics (Cell)
• Post hospitalization cognitive deficits and grey matter reduction 1 year after COVID-19 (Nature Medicine)
• Letters read on TWiV 1154
• Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
• Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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