This Week in Virology

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.

Vincent visits the University of Kansas and speaks with Tony Fehr, Robin Orozco, Juergen Richt and Rob Unckless about their careers and the research ongoing in their laboratories.
Host: Vincent Racaniello
Guests: Tony Fehr, Robin Orozco, Juergen Richt, and Rob Unckless
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
PARP14 affects replication of multiple viruses (mBio)
PTPN22 allele enhances innate antiviral immunity (PNAS)
Disruption of influenza in gene edited pigs (Emerg Microbes Inf)
Drosophila innubila nudivirus (Virology)
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. 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 and Vincent Racaniello cover if the “five-second” rule for things that fall on the floor apply to surgical equipment, an outbreak of E. coli illness caused by raw cheese before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into the measles outbreak in South Carolina and Utah, recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, where to find PEMGARDA, strain selection for the 2026-2027 season influenza vaccine by the FDA, if standard or high dose influenza vaccination influences dementia protection, a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, specific effects of Paxlovid 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
The “five-second” rule for dropped food: does it apply to dropped medical objects in the operating room? A randomized study of disinfection approaches for contaminated arthroplasty implants (Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology)
Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Program (FDA)
Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O157:H7: Raw Cheddar Cheese (March 2026) (FDA)
Wastewater for norovirus (WasterWater Scan)
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)
Risk of Alzheimer Dementia After High-Dose vs Standard-Dose Influenza Vaccination (Neurology)
Weekly surveillance report: clift 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)
Respiratory viral infections prime accelerated lung cancer growth (Cell)
Early Detection and Surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2 — Worldwide, November 2024–February 2026 (CDC: MMWR)
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
Paxlovid shows organ-specific and age-specific impacts on risk of developing post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (Communications Medicine)
The Effect of Fluvoxamine and Metformin for Fatigue in Patients With Long COVID (Annals of Internal Medicine)
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1310
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 why human papillomavirus vaccine-induced immunity can block infection, unlike all other vaccines, and how respiratory viral infections such as COVID and influenza prime accelerated lung cancer growth.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker
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)
J. Michael Bishop passes (NY Times)
Vincent interviews JM Bishop (YouTube)
David Botstein passes (NY Times)
Post-attachment neutralization of HPV (npj vaccines)
HPV vaccine blocks infection (Cancer Discov)
Respiratory viral infections prime lung cancer growth (Cell)
Respiratory virus infections awaken metastatic breast cancer (TWiV 1243 )
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines sensitize tumors to immunotherapy (TWiV 1265)
Letters read  on TWiV 1309
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Weekly Picks
Brianne – Project Hail Mary
Rich – After a decade as a Yale hospital janitor, she is now a doctor there
Alan – Scientific analysis of jokes in conference talks
Vincent – Yuval Noah Harari: Why advanced societies fall for mass delusion
Listener Pick
Greg – Changes in Terrestrial N Budgets and Riverine Nitrate-N Yields from Mississippi River Basin Watersheds 2000 to 2020

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.