This Week in Virology

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are distressed by RFK Jr’s testimony in front of Congress, surges in rotavirus infections and the staggering number of people who believe in unproven claims about vaccines and science, before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, the fatal consequences of measles infection, prevalence of influenza and other respiratory infections in dead people, PEMGARDA authorized use for certain immunocompromised individuals where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, results from a human RSV challenge study, where to go for answers about long COVID-19, negatively associated school-related outcomes in children and adolescents with long COVID, and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research.
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Links for this episode
Kennedy denies being sidelined by the White House (Politico)
Kennedy continued to back away from his criticismof the measles vaccine (NY Times)
Rotavirus surges after ACIP removes recommendation for vaccine(Discovermagazine)
‘Staggering’ number of people believe unproven claims about vaccines, raw milk and more (Nature)
Health is confronting division, confusion, and competing influences (Edelman)
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)
UtahMeasles Dashboard (Utah Department of Health and Human Services)
Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins)
Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)
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)
Dangersof measles infection (NY Times)
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)
Prevalenceof influenza and other respiratory viral infections in deceased persons: a population-based observational study over four influenza seasons (Clinical Microbiology and Infection)
RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health)
USrespiratory 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)
Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health)
Maternal RSV vaccination and reduced risk of hospitalisation for babies in England, 2024/25 (ESCMID)
Viral dynamics of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus during experimental human challenge: insights for transmission and protection(JID)
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)
Clinical and economic benefits of seasonal COVID-19 vaccination in Germany: results from the ROUTINE-COV19 Study, September 2022 to March 2024 (Eurosurveillance)
Effectiveness and safety of molnupiravir among patients with mild to moderate COVID-19: a prospective, observational, cohort study (Scientific Reports)
Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
EUAfor 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 CoverageOptions (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)
Anticoagulationguidelines (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
Divergent inflammatory and neurology-related protein levels in long COVID following primary and breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections (Communications Medicine)
School Difficulties and Long COVID in Children and Adolescents (Academic Pediatrics)
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1316
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 [email protected]
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

TWiV explains a study showing that the wildlife trade, including live-animal markets, is a major driver of animal-to-human pathogen transmission, and ecological vaccination, a strategy to prevent zoonotic spillover from bats.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Angela Mingarelli
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
Bernard Roizman passes (Wikipedia)
Maturation of a scientist (Ann Rev Virology)
Wildlife trade drives pathogen transmission (Science)
Ecological vaccination of bats (Sci Adv)
Letters read  on TWiV 1315
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Weekly Picks
Angela – Real-time tracking of pathogen evolution
Rich – A Precarious Perch; Suwannee’s track; Avian Research and Conservation Institute
Alan – Bookshop.org
Vincent – The Mysterious 30 Year Journey of Apollo 12
Listener Picks
Fernando – Sean M. Carroll’s series “The Biggest Ideas in the Universe”: “Space, Time, and Motion”, and “Quanta and Fields.”

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.

TWiV 1314: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
April 17, 2026 In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are dismayed but not surprised by poll results suggesting most Americans doubt vaccine safety, that the head of the CDC and NIH delayed release of a report on the safety of the COVID-19m vaccine, how Nature works to spread disease without the help of the lab and the about face of the Trump administration to nominate a pro-vaccine candidate for CDC director, before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, how the influenza vaccine may attenuate stroke and acute cardiac disease following virus infection, PEMGARDA authorized use for certain immunocompromised individuals where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, how the COVID-19 pandemic was a ‘negative’ for one’s mortality where to go for answers about long COVID-19, potential therapies for the pediatric long COVID population 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
More Americans doubt vaccine safety than trust it, POLITICO Poll finds (Politico)
Top C.D.C. Official Delays Report on Covid Shot’s Effectiveness (NY Times)
Vampire bats in Mexico may feed on CWD-positive deer, spreading disease and posing species-jump threat (CIDRAP)
Emerging risks at the vampire bat–prion interface: implications for wildlife, livestock, and public health (Journal of Mammalogy)
Nine-Valent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Related Cancers in Males (JAMA: Oncology)
Trump Administration Eyes Erica Schwartz to Lead CDC (Wall Street Journal)
Trump to Nominate Doctor Who Has Publicly Supported Vaccines as C.D.C. Director (NY Times)
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 vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)
Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins)
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)
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)
Influenza vaccination attenuates acute myocardial infarction and stroke risk following influenza infection: a register-based, self-controlled case series study, Denmark, 2014 to 2025 (Eurosurveillance)
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)
Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health)
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)
Deep disadvantage in mortality on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic (Scientific Reports)
Potter’s Field (Wikipedia)
Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
EUAfor 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)
UnderstandingCoverageOptions (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)
Anticoagulationguidelines (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
Interdisciplinary Pediatric Long-COVID Care: A Descriptive Study of Interventions and Health-Related Quality of Life (OFID)
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1314
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 [email protected]
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.

TWiV reviews evidence that influenza standard and high-dose vaccines reduce risk of Alzheimer’s dementia, and spread of deltaviruses by a viral Trojan horse mechanism.
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
Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
Dennis O’Callaghan passes (Wikipedia, LSU)
Reduced dementia risk after influenza vaccine (Neurology)
Deltaviruses spread via Trojan Horse (Cell)
Letters read  on TWiV 1313
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Weekly Picks
Rich – The Path of Artemis II
Alan – Climate change is causing cherry blossoms to miss their peak blooms in Japan
Vincent – The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality by Brian Greene
Listener Picks
Ann – Artemis II Launch – 7.5 Seconds in Slo-Mo
Torsten – ‘This feels fragile’: how a satellite-smashing chain reaction could spiral out of control

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 and Vincent Racaniello are aghast at the CDC’s decision to no longer test for rabies and mpox and the revised charter for its the advisory committee on immunization practices, an outbreak of E. coli illness in raw cheese, before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into the measles outbreak, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, clinical practice guidelines for treating COVID-19, PEMGARDA authorized use for certain immunocompromised individuals where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, if the nasal microbiome modulates COVID-19 disease severity, reviews the use of steroid, antibiotics, anticoagulants and IVIG for treating COVID-19 including long COVID, 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
State public health labs step up as CDC pauses testing for various pathogens, including rabies, mpox (CIDRAP)
Infectious Diseases Laboratories : Test Directory (CDC)
Kennedy rewrites the rule for membership on US vaccine advisory panel (Reuters)
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP):  ACIP charter (CDC)
Quick takes: More E coli tied to raw cheese, drug-resistant Shigella in UK, TB funds for Sudan (CIDRAP)
Voluntary Recall (FDA)
E. coli Outbreak Linked to Raw Dairy (CDC: E.coli Infection (Escherichia coli))
We 100% disagree with the FDA’s false “possible link”, and extreme allegations (RawFarm USA)
Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Among Persons With Epstein-Barr Virus–Positive Mononucleosis(Neurology)
US Scientists Sequence 1,000 Genomes From Measles, a Disease Long Eliminated With Vaccines (KFF HealthNews)
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)
UtahMeasles Dashboard (Utah Department of Health and Human Services)
Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins)
Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)
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)
Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)
USrespiratory 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)
USrespiratory 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)
Respiratory Diseases (Yale School of Public Health)
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)
2025 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on the Treatment and Management of COVID-19 (CID)
2025 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on the Treatment and Management of COVID-19: Baricitinib vs. Tocilizumab (CID)
ImmunobridgingAnalysis of Pemivibart for the Treatment of COVID-19 – A Therapeutic Gap for the Immune Compromised Remains (OFID)
PEMGARDA® is authorized for use in certain moderately to severely immunocompromised patients to help prevent COVID-19 (Pemgarda)
Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda)
EUAfor 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)
Anticoagulationguidelines (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
Association of nasopharyngeal Dolosigranulum pigrum and Corynebacterium species with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in a longitudinal cohort (Microbiology Spectrum)
The effect of corticosteroids, antibiotics, and anticoagulants on the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome in COVID-19 hospitalized patients 6 months after discharge: a retrospective follow up study (Clinical and Experimental Medicine)
Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for long COVID: a case report of clinical and immunological findings (LANCET: Infectious Diseases)
Management of Orthostatic Hypotension (JAMA: Internal Medicine) Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1312
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 [email protected]
Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.