TWiV reviews a drug screen for inhibitors of syncytium formation, the fusing of cells caused by SARS-CoV-2, which reveals that the process is regulated by a calcium-activated ion channel and scramblase that is inhibited by the anti-parasite drug Niclosamide.

TWiV 742: De-fusing COVID-19

This Week in Virology is a netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick.

Science & Medicine

Natural Sciences

Social Sciences

Medicine

TWiV reviews influenza H5N1 in North American cows and in birds throughout New York City, polio health emergency extended, ChatGPT to control vaccine hesitancy, increasing viral hepatitis worldwide, dengue public health alert in Puerto Rico, cherry trees drowning in Washington DC, death of iron lung Paul, origin and dispersal history of hepatitis B virus in Eastern Eurasia, and antibody-independent protection against heterologous SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server MicrobeTV store at Cafepress Become a member of ASV (asv.org) The New City by Dickson Despommier (blog post) Navigating the U.S. Immigration System webinar International Conferene on Pandemic Preparedness Avian influenza in dairy cows North Carolina and South Dakota H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4 Pathogenic flu throughout NYC Polio from Afghanistan to Pakistan extending public health emergency CHAT GPT to combat vaccine hesitancy Viral hepatitis worldwide Dengue public health alert in Puerto Rico Cherry trees being drowned by water level rise in DC Paul in iron lung dies (NPR) Hepatitis B virus in Eastern Eurasia (Nat Comm) Antibody-independent protection against heterologous SARS-CoV-2 (Nature) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Do Other Planets Have Solar Eclipses? Kathy – Radcliffe Wave and Mt. Etna smoke rings with video Rich – Spongy Oak Apple Gall Wasp (Amphibolips confluenta) Life cycle; Gall formation Alan – Rogue attempt to clone giant sheep for captive hunting Vincent – The Scientists Rock. Literally. Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1105: All the T and B in China

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on the circulation of measles before addressing results of Pfizer’s phase 3 RSV vaccine clinical trial for adults under 60, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 circulation, differences between rural and urban communities dealing with SARS-CoV-2 infections, the latest statistics on influenza and COVID-19 circulation, restates the guidelines for spring administration of COVID vaccines boosters, discusses the emergency use application of a pre-exposure prophylactic. revised guidelines for how to treat respiratory viral infection guidelines by the CDC, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, revised guidelines SARS-CoV-2 treatment and how to treat respiratory viral infections, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, how long COVID affects the brain and associates with an increase in allergic incidents as well as if post SARS-CoV-2 infected patients are unable to exercise or have functional limitations. For more information about this body of work, listen to TWiV 1088. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Measles tracking (CDC) Measles just this year (MMWR) ABRYSVO phase 3 results (Pfizer) RSV surveillance (CDC) Influenza/flu surveillance  (CDC) Provisional deaths due to COVID-19 (CDC) COVID-19 national trend (CDC) COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot) Variant tracker (CDC) Rural-urban differences in COVID-19 mortality and hospitalizations (OFID) Spring COVID-19 booster recommendations (CIDRAP) Older adult spring booster available (CDC) Advisory committee for immunization practices spring 2024 COVID-19 boosters (CDC) EUA for pemgarda (FDA) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Nirmatrelvir for vaccinated or unvaccinated COVID-19 patients (NEJM) Assessment for clinical usefulness (NEJM) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety) Updated respiratory virus guidances (CDC) What do when your heathcare provider is infected with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Long COVID evidence based review TWiV shout out (TWiV 1088) Brian and cognitive changes in long COVID patients (BRAIN) Allergic disease incidents after COVID-19 (Nat Comm) Can post COVID patients exercise or do they have functional limitations (JAMA Network Open) Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB 37:06 Letters read on TWiV 1102 37:56 Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1104: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

Vincent travels to the University of Texas in Austin to speak with speak with Jason McLellan about his career and his research on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, including the effect of adding two proline residues, its effect on other viral spike glycoproteins, and general approaches to vaccine design. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit Guest: Jason McLellan Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server MicrobeTV store at Cafepress Become a member of ASV (asv.org) The New City by Dickson Despommier Prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spikes (Science) Structure-based vaccine design (Curr Opin Immunol) Prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 S2-only antigen (Nat Comm) Stabilized coronavirus spike stem elicits broadly protective antibody (Cell Rep) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1103: Jason 'Spike' McLellan

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on the circulation of measles and influenza before addressing Vincent’s comment on measles inclusion in the clinical respiratory PCR panel, the latest statistics on influenza and COVID-19 circulation, if inflammatory cytokines and anti-viral antibody function synergistically, if administration of peptide agonists of the glucagon-like or sodium-glucose pump can reduce disease severity, restates the guidelines for spring administration of COVID vaccines boosters, discusses the emergency use application of a pre-exposure prophylactic. revised guidelines for how to treat respiratory viral infection guidelines by the CDC, continues to dispel the myth of viral rebound, revised guidelines for SARS-CoV-2 treatment and how to treat respiratory viral infections, when to use steroids and the benefits of convalescent plasma, what do when healthcare workers succumb to SARS-CoV-2 infection, if remdesivir or paxlovid can reduce cardiovascular adverse events and the first finding of the two-year longitudinal study on long COVID. For more information about this body of work, listen to TWiV 1088. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Measles tracking (CDC) What happens when measles is included in commercial syndromic PCR panels (MMWR) Influenza/flu surveillance (CDC) Influenza on the Texas ranch (Statnews) Sequence analysis of highly pathogenic avian influenza from Texas (CDC) Influenza/flu map (CDC) COVID-19  hospital admissions (CDC) COVID-19 national trend (CDC) COVID-19 wastewater testing (biobot) Variant tracker (CDC) Variant hospital admissions (CDC) Can inflammatory cytokines and antibodies play nicely to prevent COVID-19 mortality (IJID) Association of GLP-1RA and SGLT-2i to modulate COVID-19 severity (Diabetes Therapy) Spring COVID-19 booster recommendations (CIDRAP) Older adult spring booster available (CDC) Advisory committee for immunization practices spring 2024 COVID-19 boosters (CDC) EUA for pemgarda (FDA) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (IDSociety) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) What do when your heathcare provider is infected with SARS-CoV-2 (CDC) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Remdesivir and cardiac adverse events in hospitalized patients (CID) Long COVID evidence based review TWiV shout out (TWiV 1088) Longitudinal study reveals long COVID symptom peaks and nadirs (OFID) Paxlovid lowers risk of cardiovascular disease in COVID-19 patients with autoimmune disease (BMC Medicine) Contribute to our ASTMH fundraiser at PWB Letters read on TWiV 1102 Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1102: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

Paul Offit joins TWiV to discuss his latest book, “Tell Me When It’s Over”, an insider’s guide to deciphering COVID myths and navigating our post-pandemic world. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Brianne Barker Guest: Paul Offit Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server MicrobeTV store at Cafepress Become a member of ASV (asv.org) The New City by Dickson Despommier Tell Me When It’s Over by Paul Offit Navigating the U.S. Immigration System (webinar) Classifying Viral Subspecies (Workshop) Options XII for the Control of Influenza (Meeting) Letters read on TWiV 1101 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Astronomers Unveil Strong Magnetic Fields Spiraling at the Edge of Milky Way’s Central Black Hole Brianne – Inside the AI Competition That Decoded an Ancient Herculaneum Scroll Vincent – biotech.symposium on Instagram Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 742: De-fusing COVID-19

Download our free app to listen on your phone