This Week in Virology

TWiV explains results of a dengue virus human challenge which reveals that preexisting immunity shapes viral replication and broadly protective responses, and how influenza virus antagonizes self-sensing by RIG-I to enhance viral replication.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are cautiously elated by results of election day 2026 on the backdrop of additional measles associated deaths in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New York, return of mpox, Chagas disease in Texas, hippopotami dying from anthrax infections, increase in dengue cases in Florida before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections and measles, susceptibility of human neural stem cells to SARS-CoV-2 infection, chemosensory dysfunction after COVID-19 vaccination, low dose naltrexone for Post-COVID Fatigue Syndrome, effect of metformin at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the FDA approved package...

TWiV discusses an outbreak of H5N1 influenza viruses in Utah farmed mink, and divergent species-specific antiviral responses in Marburg virus infected cells from reservoir bats and humans.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are distressed by the continued upheaval of leadership at the CDC, recent news of H5 highly pathogenic influenza virus found on mink farms in Utah and in the polar bear population of Greenland, continuing spread of dengue virus in Florida and screwworm in the US, the Ebola outbreak in Kenya, identification of cross-reactive T cells following administration of VSV-ZEBOV-GP vaccine and re-addressing vaccination policy changes in Florida and the global burden of measles infection before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections and measles, ineffectiveness...

TWiV explains projected effects of removing school-entry vaccination requirements on measles transmission in Florida and evidence that HLA class I escape drives the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in human populations.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are discouraged by the continuous attack on vaccines especially the birth dose of the hepatitis B virus vaccine, effects of the 2026 changes in immunization schedule, the global burden of vaccine preventable diseases including pertussis and measles, expansion of the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in Kenya, increase in rabies diagnosis in the US and screwworm cases before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, measles including an 8% increase in confirmed cases in 1 week in the US and its history especially the Faroe Island outbreak in 1846, warnings of...

TWiV explains a study which shows that influenza A virus infection induces immune dysregulation in the placenta and fetus without vertical transmission in nonhuman primates, and development of an epigenetic silencer therapy to transcriptionally inactivate viral DNA in chronic hepatitis B.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are crestfallen to learn of the 6th measles death in Pennsylvania and more than 9000 deaths from Ebola, an enterovirus/Coxsackievirus outbreak at the University of Pennsylvania, decimation of the HIV services following withdrawal of PEPFAR and USAID, role of gut microbes in vaccine adverse events such as fever, continued raw milk consumption, and thermostable nanoparticles for mRNA vaccine delivery before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, measles, development of a rapid diagnostic for measles, how long COVID effects sleep cycles and the microbiome, and...

TWiV travels to Porto, Portugal for the annual meeting of the European Society for Clinical Virology, where he speaks with Catherine and Corinne about their work on the Andes virus outbreak on the MV Hondius.

Guests: Catherine Houlihan and Corinne Guerts van Kessel

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Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss their continuing struggle to understand the ongoing outbreak of cyclospora, decimation of US public health including 30% or greater loss of personnel from the CDC, continuing measles outbreaks here and aboard, a mumps outbreak in San Diego and a Hib death in Montana, criminalization of pediatricians in Texas, dengue associated death in Florida, Ebola in Kenya, a new Legionnaires outbreak, screw worm cases, and a hearing in Florida to end requirements of four vaccines including Hib and chickenpox, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2...

TWiV explains a study testing how 16 hypothesized social and environmental drivers impact disease outbreaks, concluding that infectious disease spillover and emergence are multi-causal, and that no one-size-fits-all strategy can prevent epidemics and pandemics, and an analysis of Myotis bats, which shows that their remarkable longevity and immunity are linked through pleiotropic adaptations to viruses and aging-related disease.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello continue their ongoing exasperation over 5 deaths in Pennsylvania associated with measles infections, the absurdity of RFK Jr.'s statement that AI is better informed than physicians, the outbreak of cholera, more deaths by raw milk products, spread of dengue virus in Florida, Ebola in DRC, refusal to acknowledge the benefits of the HBV vaccine birth dose, how TORCH agent infections impact neurodevelopment and may lead to increase chances of autism diagnosis, Legionnaires disease and screw worm cases, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics on RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2...

TWiV explains discovery of a previously unknown mechanism of RNA-guided DNA recognition for genetic control that possibly predates the emergence of CRISPR pathways, and the possibility that Alzheimer's Disease neuropathology evolved as a host defense response to microbial infection in the brain.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello frustration continues over the increasing number of measles infections, Kennedy's undermining of vaccines, perpetuation of autism- vaccine, autism-tylenol myths, an outbreak of hepatitis A virus in the US, the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, changes in reporting of virus infection and vaccine recommendations, Legionnaires disease and screw worm cases, and before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, economics of a measles outbreak in Chicago, what defines reactogenicity of the mRNA COVID vaccines, the on-going delay by HHS of COVID shots for children, neuropsychiatric symptoms of...

Roberto Cattaneo and Kalpana Yadav join TWiV at the 2026 meeting of the American Society for Virology to discuss how the absence of measles virus receptors in the brain selects for hyperfusogenic variants that spread neuron-to-neuron and cause subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a rare but fatal long-term neurological sequela of measles infection.

Guests: Roberto Cattaneo and Kalpana Yadav

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are angered by the continuous reporting of measles deaths in the US and around the world, the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, changes in reporting of virus infection and vaccine recommendations, establishing an NIH research center on vaccine harms, Legionnaires at Yankee stadium and the first time in more than half a century reporting of an equine screwworm case, and how HHS may prevent more than half of US children from getting the COVID-19 vaccine this season before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, efficacy...

Paul Bieniasz joins TWiV to discuss his lab's discovery that the coronavirus nuclease NSP15 cuts viral RNA into oligonucleotides that are reinserted elsewhere in the viral RNA, generating insertion mutations at a frequency above 10⁻³ per genome, including new furin cleavage sites at the spike S1/S2 junction.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello delve into dengue virus infections in Florida, recent human rabies infections in the US, proposed changes in biomedical funding including "converting" the Department of War into NIAID, the continuing controversy over the deaths of 2 children in Pennsylvania from measles, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, approval of new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by the FDA, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research.

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TWiV reviews a landmark paper reporting the first generative design of complete viral genomes using AI, producing 16 viable bacteriophages that overcame antibiotic-resistant bacteria where natural phages could not, and a study suggesting that recombinant shingles vaccination reduces the risk of cardiovascular events.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello remember Dolly Parton and her patronage of science, especially development of the COVID-19 vaccines, if the shingles vaccine protect against cardiovascular events as well as dementia, the continued national cyclosporiasis and screwworm outbreaks, size of the Ebola outbreak in the Congo, the death of 2 children in Pennsylvania from measles and the economic cost of the measles outbreak, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into how to determine the case fatality rate of measles as well as measles outbreaks, recent statistics RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections, approval of new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines...

TWiV explores how bacteriophages enable bet-hedge against bacterial immune defenses, and how transgenic mice engineered to produce human antibodies yielded potent anti-EBV candidates targeting gp350 and gp42, a promising step toward Epstein-Barr therapeutics.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are disheartened by the suggested change in federal vaccine recommendations, how Florida rolled back 4 childhood vaccine school requirements, results from a clinical trial suggesting that IPV can be used for outbreak control in IPV only countries, the continued national cyclosporiasis and screwworm outbreaks, size of the Ebola outbreak in the Congo, the death of 2 children in Pennsylvania from measles and the economic cost of the measles outbreak before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the use of monoclonal antibodies and remdesivir to treat Bundibugyo virus infection, measles outbreak, recent statistics...

TWiV describes a human cerebral organoid model for Ebola virus persistence, and brown bullhead catfish melanoma, a novel transmissible cancer.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are perplexed by the state of global public health as malaria, cholera and other infectious diseases are spread by civil warfare, the lack of manpower at the CDC to implement Congressional health programs, the first cancer mRNA vaccine resulting from a Merck and Moderna collaboration, how cyclosporiasis and screwworm outbreaks continue, FDA approval of new drugs against screwworm and critical policy decisions to control the Ebola outbreak in the Congo, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics on RSV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infections and the drop...

TWiV explains how liquid–liquid phase separation and a phage-encoded inhibitor cooperatively drive transcriptional transition during phage SPO1 infection, and the first smallpox virus genomes from an early outbreak in South America.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are troubled by the latest executive order changing routine childhood vaccine recommendations, the call for nominations to join the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, West Nile virus transmission in South Carolina, a newly identified midge-transmitted virus sickening cattle, and development of a cold-chain free DPT vaccine, the national cyclospora and screwworm outbreaks,new screwworm and genomics of Ebola outbreak in the Congo, and use of a mismatch vaccine to combat the Bundibugyo virus outbreak before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics on RSV, influenza and...

TWiV explains research showing that Long COVID is associated with reactivation of numerous chronic viruses, including herpesviruses and anelloviruses, and with the production of autoantibodies that target neurological tissues.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are distressed by Erica Schwartz' confirmation as CDC director, the GAO proposed pandemic preparedness plans, the national cyclospora outbreak and resulting two deaths, new screwworm and the scale of the Ebola outbreak in the Congo, and clear results from some of President Trump's policies dismantling public health activites including water safety, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, FDA approval of Moderna's mRNA vaccine for seasonal flu, how to access and...

TWiV travels to Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, where he speaks with Angela Bosco-Lauth, Rebekah Kading, and Mark Stenglein about their careers and their virology research.

Guests: Angela Bosco-Lauth, Rebekah Kading, and Mark Stenglein

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss the numerous attempts by states to roll back vaccine laws, the recent surge of Dengue virus cases in Sri Lanka, the national cyclospora outbreak, new screwworm and Legionnaires cases, launching of the CHaT-Ox Ebola vaccine trail, scale of the Ebola outbreak in the Congo and if cross-reactive Ebola antibodies are effective, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak including the new Pennsylvania dashboard, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, where...

TWiV explains research which shows that Per os infectivity factors are essential for bracovirus infection and wasp parasitism, and that periodic shifts in viral load increase risk of Hendra virus spillover from Pteropus bats.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello explore the source/not source of the national cyclospora outbreak, trust in the FDA to correctly identify the source, new screwworm, Legionnaires and cyclosporasis cases, the Ebola outbreak in the Congo and development of a novel vaccine and antiviral before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak including the new Pennsylvania dashboard, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, difference between high and standard dose influenza vaccines, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, where to go for answers about...

TWiV explains research that reveals dual activity of a phage-encoded lysin that modulates infection dynamics in a mycobacteriophage, and refutes a proposed link between the SARS-CoV-2 furin cleavage site and mouse-adapted MERS-coronavirus MA30.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, Angela Mingarelli, and Jolene Ramsey

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello debate if Senator Mitch McConnell's recent hospitalization is due to post-polio syndrome or just old age, how air quality from Maine to Chicago has been affected by the Ontario wild fires, new screwworm, Legionnaires and cyclosporasis cases, the Ebola outbreak in the Congo and development of a novel vaccine and antiviral, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, where to go for answers about...

Tom Ksiazek, a world-renowned virus expert with 40 years of experience on the front lines of some of the worst outbreaks the world has ever seen, joins TWiV to discuss his career, ebolaviruses in general, and the current outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in Africa.

Guest: Tom Ksiazek

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are dismayed over the military deaths due to the voluntary influenza vaccination policy, FDA's first vaccine recommendations since 2023, the efficacy of influenza vaccines, new screwworm, Legionnaires and cyclosporiasis cases, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda and before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, publication of the blocked COVID-19 vaccine findings, where to go for answers about long COVID-19, use of antivirals in...

TWiV explains research that reveals an an alternative evolutionary path of antiviral signalling in a sea anemone, and how a bacterial symbiont and a plant virus enhance insect fitness by inducing physical defenses against fungal parasites.

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In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello lament about the new ACIP charter, how administration of the HPV vaccine has eliminated cervical cancer deaths in young women, the global economic burden of infectious disease, restoring trust in vaccinology, new screwworm cases, the Ebola outbreak in the Congo and Uganda and need for preparedness, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, publication of the blocked COVID-19 vaccine findings, where to go for answers...

Vincent speaks with Karen Torghele about her recently published biography of polio vaccine pioneer Albert Sabin, the first ever written.

Guest: Karen Torghele

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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 advic

TWiV explains research showing how temperate phages enhance bacterial host fitness via RNA-guided flagellar remodelling, and that IgA antibody is necessary and sufficient to prevent norovirus infection in mice.

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