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.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker
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Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
Democratic doctors win big in 2026 midterm elections (CIDRAP)
Florida’s dengue total jumps to 485 (CIDRAP)
Dengue virus human challenge study (Sci Transl Med)
Influenza virus and self sensing of host by RIG-I (Cell Rep)
Letters read on TWiV 1373
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Picks of the Week
Brianne – Five Science-Backed Benefits of ‘grandma hobbies’
Kathy – Bird of the Week from Ben Tonelli
Alan – The Dark Frontier, by Jeffrey Marlow
Vincent – Where Do Photons Actually Go When You Turn Off The Light?
Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees
Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

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 inserts for the influenza and COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Wilma Glodean Rudolph (Wikipedia)
Democratic doctors win big in 2026 midterm elections (CIDRAP)
Democratic Doctors Elected for First Time in Nearly 60 Years Flip U.S. Senate (3.14 ACTION)
Child Dies From Measles in New York State’s First Fatal Case in 30 Years (NY Times)
Pennsylvania Department of Health Confirms Sixth Measles-Associated Death, Provides Statewide Update on Measles Outbreak as Cases Reach 1,467 in 45 Counties (Pennsylvaina Department of Health)
Pennsylvania reports another measles-related death, the 2nd in Jefferson County (CIDRAP)
DHS Reports a Death Connected to the Ongoing MeaslesOutbreak (Wisconsin Department of Health Services)
A baby in Wisconsin has died from measles, the 3rd such US death this week (CIDRAP)
Four Mpox Cases reported to Stanislaus County Public Health (Stanislaus County: California)
Autochthonous Acute Chagas Disease with Fulminant Myocarditis in a Texas Infant Exposed to a Peridomestic Environment with Trypanosoma cruzi-infected Vectors and Animals (CID)
Mysterious anthrax outbreak kills hippos in Africa — raising concerns for human spread (Nature)
Dengue (WHO:Dengue)
Florida Arbovirus Surveillance Week 42: October 18-24, 2026 (Florida Health)
With 60 new cases in the past week, Florida’s dengue total jumps to 485 (CIDRAP)
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) (YAKIMA: Health District)
Dashboard SCREWWORM.Gov (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)
CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for New World Screwworm Response (CDC Newsroom)
Ebola DRC (X)
Ebola dashboard (ebola.fyi)
EBOLA: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2026 (WHO)
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)
Child Dies From Measles in New York State’s First Fatal Case in 30 Years (NY Times)
Pennsylvania Department of Health Confirms Sixth Measles-Associated Death, Provides Statewide Update on Measles Outbreak as Cases Reach 1,467 in 45 Counties (Pennsylvaina Department of Health)
Pennsylvania reports another measles-related death, the 2nd in Jefferson County (CIDRAP)
DHS Reports a Death Connected to the Ongoing MeaslesOutbreak (Wisconsin Department of Health Services)
A baby in Wisconsin has died from measles, the 3rd such US death this week (CIDRAP)
Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)
Big outbreak, bright lights…Measles Dashboard (South Carolina Department of Public Health)
Utah measles outbreak response (Utah Department of Health and Human Services)
Utah Measles Dashboard (Utah Department of Health and Human Services)
Measles (VDH: Virginia Department of Health)
Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins)
HAP’s Latest News Pa. Launches New Measles Dashboard (Hospital + HealthSystem Association of Pennsylvania)
Measles (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
Measles Dashboard (New York State: Department of Health)
Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada)
Measles (WHO)
Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health)
Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))
Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola))
Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC)
Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC)
Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM)
Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts(ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America)
Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine)
Measles Cases and Outbreaks (CDC: Rubeola)
Laboratory Testing for Measles (CDC: Measles (Rubeola)
Measles Clinical Diagnosis Fact Sheet (CDC: Measles (Rubeola)
Measles Serology Testing (CDC: Measles (Rubeola)
New York State Seasonal Respiratory Virus Dashboard (New York State: Department of Health)
Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Flu vaccine recommendations: Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee March 12, 2026 Meeting Announcement (FDA)
WHO updates all 3 viral strains to be included in fall flu shots (CIDRAP)
FDA vaccine advisers recommend adding subclade K to fall shots (CIDRAP)
Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView)
OPTION 2: XOFLUZA $50 Cash Pay Option (xofluza)
RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)
Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV))
Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP)
Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses)
COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
Susceptibility of human neural stem cells to SARS-CoV-2: Entry mechanisms and glycocalyx influence (PLos One)
Comparing the Risk of Maternal Complications and Adverse Infant Outcomes Among Pregnancies With and Without COVID-19 in the Sentinel System (PDS: Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety)
Ensitrelvir for Covid-19 Postexposure Prophylaxis in Household Contacts (NEJM)
Moderna Receives U.S. FDA Approval for Updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 Vaccines (Moderna)
Novavax’s Partnership Strategy Continues to Deliver with XFG-adapted Nuvaxovid™ Approvals in the U.S., EU and Japan for 2026-2027 Vaccination Season (Novavax)
Pfizer and BioNTech Receive U.S. FDA Approval for XFG-adapted COVID-19 Vaccine (Pfizer)
FDA approves new COVID vaccines (CIDRAP)
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) (CDC: Covid)
Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
Infusion center (Prime Fusions)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro)
Understanding Coverage Options (PAXCESS)
Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID)
Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center)
The answers: Long COVID
Post-Vaccination Chemosensory Dysfunction: Changes Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in a Global Study (Laryngoscope: Investigative Otolaryngology)
Low Dose Naltrexone for Post-COVID Fatigue Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial (medRxiv)
Metformin at the Time of COVID-19 Infection and Risk of Long COVID: A Target Trial Emulation Study (Journal of Medical Virology)
Reaching out to US house representative
mFLUSIVA (FDA)
COMIRNATY (FDA)
Letters read on TWiV 1372
Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees
Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

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.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
H5N1 influenza virus in Utah farmed mink (virological.org)
Species specific responses to Marburg virus (Cell Rep)
Letters read on TWiV 1371
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Picks of the Week
Rich – The effect of a hiding box on stress levels and body weight in Dutch shelter cats; a randomized controlled trial
Alan – Edward Gorey’s version of a tarot card deck
Vincent – Wellcome Global Monitor 2026: Trust in science under pressure
Listener Pick
Anne – Blockers, by Michael Lewis
Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees
Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

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 of the measles vaccine in infants under 9 months old, efficacy of  high dose and standard dose of the influenza vaccine for the elderly, familial susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research.
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
C.D.C. Deputy Director Resigns After Four Months in the JobFinds(NY Times)
Preliminary report on H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Utah mink, August 2026(Virological)
Evidence of Exposure to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5 Viruses in East Greenland Polar Bears (CDC: Emerging Infectious Diseases)
Florida counties declare emergency over wildly unusual dengue outbreak (Washington Post)
Dengue (WHO:Dengue)
Dashboard SCREWWORM.Gov (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)
CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for New World Screwworm Response (CDC Newroom)
Cross-reactive T-cell responses against BDBV in humans after rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccination (LANCET: Infectious Diseases)
Kenya reports 2nd Ebola death as Nigeria races to understand transmission of index patient(CIDRAP)
Kenya reports second death from Ebola (Reuters)
Ebola DRC (X)
Ebola dashboard (ebola.fyi)
EBOLA: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2026(WHO)
Projected effects of removing school-entry vaccination requirements on measles transmission in Florida (PNAS)
Removing Florida vaccination requirements: Clinical Update TWiV 1352 (microbeTV)
TWiV 1369: Florida Model Makes Measles Great Again (microbeTV)
Global and regional burden of measles and vaccine coverage among children under 5 years, 1990−2023: a Global Burden of Disease Study (Nature Medicine)
Global measles cases in kids rose 40% from 2020 to 2023, study estimates(CIDRAP)
As measles soars in Pennsylvania, some parents are vaccinating their babies early (CIDRAP)
Immunogenicity, effectiveness, and safety of measles vaccination in infants younger than 9 months: a systematic review and meta-analysis (LANCET: Infectious Diseases)
Guidance for measles in pregnancy and congenital measles (Pennsylvaina Department of Health)
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)
Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)
Big outbreak, bright lights…Measles Dashboard (South Carolina Department of Public Health)
Utah measles outbreak response (Utah Department of Health and Human Services)
Utah Measles Dashboard (Utah Department of Health and Human Services)
Measles (VDH: Virginia Department of Health)
Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins)
HAP’s Latest News Pa. Launches New Measles Dashboard (Hospital + HealthSystem Association of Pennsylvania)
Measles (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
Measles Dashboard (New York State: Department of Health)
Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada)
Measles (WHO)
Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health)
Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))
Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola))
Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC)
Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC)
Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM)
Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts(ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America)
Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine)
Measles Cases and Outbreaks (CDC: Rubeola)
Laboratory Testing for Measles (CDC: Measles (Rubeola)
Measles Clinical Diagnosis Fact Sheet (CDC: Measles (Rubeola)
Measles Serology Testing (CDC: Measles (Rubeola)
First evidence of measles virus detected from exhaled breath in humans (CMI:Clinical Microbiology and Infection)
New York State Seasonal Respiratory Virus Dashboard(New York State: Department of Health)
Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Flu vaccine recommendations: Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee March 12, 2026 Meeting Announcement (FDA)
WHO updates all 3 viral strains to be included in fall flu shots(CIDRAP)
Effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose influenza vaccines against severe respiratory and secondary cardiovascular outcomes in adults aged ≥80 years (CMI: Clincial Microbiology and Infection)
Humoral Immunogenicity of mRNA-1010, an mRNA-based Seasonal Influenza Vaccine, in Adults ≥50 Years (OFID)
FDA vaccine advisers recommend adding subclade K to fall shots(CIDRAP)
Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView)
OPTION 2: XOFLUZA $50 Cash Pay Option(xofluza)
RSV: Wastewater scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)
Vaccines for Adults (CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV))
Economic Analysis of Protein Subunit and mRNA RSV Vaccination in Adults aged 50-59 Years (CDC: ACIP)
Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
COVID-19 deaths (CDC)
Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel (CDC: Respiratory Illnesses)
COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)
COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)
SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)
Moderna Receives U.S. FDA Approval for Updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 Vaccines (Moderna)
Novavax’s Partnership Strategy Continues to Deliver with XFG-adapted Nuvaxovid™ Approvals in the U.S., EU and Japan for 2026-2027 Vaccination Season (novavax)
Pfizer and BioNTech Receive U.S. FDA Approval for XFG-adapted COVID-19 Vaccine(Pfizer)
FDA approves new COVID vaccines(CIDRAP)
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) (CDC: Covid)
Familial factors in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 severity: a nationwide Danish study of adult twins and their spouses (International Journal of Epidemiology)
Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)
Infusion center (Prime Fusions)
CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)
NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)
Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool)
Help your eligible patients access PAXLOVID with the PAXCESS Patient Support Program (Pfizer Pro)
Understanding Coverage Options (PAXCESS)
Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)
Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)
Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)
What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)
Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)
Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)
Daniel Griffin’s evidence based medical practices for long COVID (OFID)
Long COVID hotline (Columbia : Columbia University Irving Medical Center)
The answers: Long COVID
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1370
Dr. Griffin’s COVID treatment summary (pdf)
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees
Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

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.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, Brianne Barker
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
Effects of removing Florida school vaccination mandates (PNAS)
HLA escape drives SARS-CoV-2 evolution (PNAS)
The other landscape of SARS-CoV-2 evolution (PNAS)
Letters read on TWiV 1369
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Picks of the Week
Brianne – Astronomers Discover the First Green Star
Rich – Inside the Johns Hopkins Psilocybin Playlist by Marc Shapiro (2020)
Alan – The Wreck of the Mentor, by Eric Jay Dolin
Vincent – The Apollo 11 Code is Open Source (and its’ hilarious)
Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees
Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.