Episodes

  • TWiV 1263: Dementia vaccine?

    TWiV 1263: Dementia vaccine?
    Oct 19 2025

    TWiV reviews continuing US measles outbreak, host and genetic variations that regulate antibody responses to hepatitis C virus, and varicella-zoster reactivation and the risk of dementia.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Brianne Barker, and Angela Mingarelli

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Mass firings at CDC (Time)
    • Measles cases continue to climb in US (NPR)
    • Immune 100 at The Incubator (Eventbrite)
    • Viral and host variations modulate antibody responses against HCV (Cell Rep)
    • VZV reactivation and risk of dementia (Nature Med)
    • Taking a shot at dementia (TWiV 1207)
    • Demented and crass (TWiV 1249)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1263
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Angela – ‘Am I redundant?’: how AI changed my career in bioinformatics
    Brianne – OpenSpace and their YouTube Channel
    Alan – Coral City Camera – live view of a reef in Biscayne Bay, FL (and NPR story on it).
    Vincent – Neck pain relief exercises with Dr. Adam Fields

    Listener Pick

    Greg – AI: What could go wrong? and An AI System With Detailed Diagnostic Reasoning Makes Its Case

    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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 49 mins
  • TWiV 1262: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    TWiV 1262: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
    Oct 18 2025
    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello are dismayed by the government shutdown, the firings at the CDC including EIS agents, H5N1 isolation from backyard birds and its stability in raw milk and cheese, before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, the quarantining of college students in the US due to measles, Japan’s declaration of a national influenza outbreak, effectiveness of the influenza and COVID vaccines, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, can you be retreated with Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, results from PLATCOV studies- still no antiviral activity attributed to ivermectin, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, long COVID in pediatrics, patient reported outcomes from the STOP-PASC clinical trial, contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research and the listener reminder that measles vaccine in those with interferonopathy may result in severe adverse affects. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Trump Administration Lays Off Dozens of C.D.C. Officials (NY Times)CDC walks back hundreds of firings as US shutdown persists (Yahoo News/ Reuters) CDC battered by government shutdown firings, while some are rescinded (STAT 10)Confirmations of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial and Backyard Flocks (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)Flurry of H5N1 activity noted in commercial poultry, wild birds(CIDRAP)H5N1 influenza virus stability and transmission risk in raw milk and cheese(Nature Medicine)Hundreds of U.S. students quarantined amid measles outbreaks (NBC News) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)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) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))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)Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView) Japan sees early flu activity, with school closures(CIDRAP)Japan Declares Nationwide Flu Outbreak Following Early Surge in Cases (insightscare)ACIP Recommendations Summary (CDC: Influenza) American Academy of PediatricsFlu and Children (CDC: Influenza (flu)) Effectiveness of influenza vaccination to prevent severe disease (CMI: Clinical Microbiology and Infection)Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season(FDA)RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)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)Evidence to Recommendations Framework (EtR): RSV Vaccination in Adults Aged 50–59 years (CDC: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases) Efficacy and safety of respiratory syncytial virus vaccines (Cochrane Library)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)Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV)Effectiveness of NVX-CoV2373 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccination in South Korean Adolescents (The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal) Trump gets Covid vaccine and flu shot during second checkup of the year (NBC News)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)Pharmacometrics of high-dose ivermectin in early COVID-19 from an open label, randomized, controlled adaptive ...
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • TWiV 1261: Must-see TVs

    TWiV 1261: Must-see TVs
    Oct 12 2025

    TWiV covers a MacArthur Award for Jason McLellan, 2025 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, first treatment for Huntington’s Disease, structure of an archael dsDNA virus from head to tail, and discovery of a Legionella phage that explains a determinant of human disease.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Jolene Ramsey

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Jason McLellan wins MacArthur Award (NPR)
    • 2025 Nobel Prizes Physiology or Medicine (Nobel Prizes)
    • Huntington Disease treatment (BBC)
    • Structure of archaeal tailed virus (Sci Adv)
    • Discovery of Legionella phage (Sci Adv)
    • Microbe of the Month: Legionella (Trends Micro)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1261
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Alan – Specimen of the last female Great Auk finally identified.
    Jolene – Ribosome studio on IG
    Vincent – Greater noctule bats prey on and consume passerines in flight

    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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 50 mins
  • TWiV 1260: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    TWiV 1260: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
    Oct 11 2025
    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello chat about Jane Goodall’s death and the Nobel prize in Physiology/Medicine for understanding immune system control before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, if 2 doses of the influenza vaccine are better for protection of first season children, if COVID-19 negatively impacts pregnancy and the unborn child, efficacy of long-acting monoclonal antibody against symptomatic COVID-19, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, can you be retreated with Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, long COVID in pediatrics, association of COVID-19 with new-onset vascular dementia 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 Jane Goodall’s legacy: three ways she changed science (Nature)They understood how the immune system is kept in check (The Nobel Prize)Daniel Griffin: The Nobel Prize for Understanding Autoimmune Disease (WNYC: New York Public Radio)Kennedy’s Ties to Ally Leading Vaccine Lawsuits Raise Ethical Concerns (NY Times)Ebola outbreak in southern Congo shows signs of containment with no new cases, WHO reports (AP News)Ebola Disease (WHO: African Region)Premature baby dies from measles in Alberta as cases throughout province near 2,000(Global News)DOH Issues Advisory After Measles Detection in City of Oswego Wastewater (Finger lakes dailynew.com) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)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) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))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)Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths — United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season (CDC: MMWR)ACIP Recommendations Summary (CDC: Influenza) American Academy of PediatricsFlu and Children (CDC: Influenza (flu))Comparison of 2 Doses vs 1 Dose in the First Season Children Are Vaccinated Against Influenza (JAMA: Open Network)Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season (FDA)RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)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)Evidence to Recommendations Framework (EtR): RSV Vaccination in Adults Aged 50–59 years (CDC: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases) Efficacy and safety of respiratory syncytial virus vaccines(Cochrane Library)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)Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV)Neonatal outcomes among pregnant women with COVID-19 (BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth)Safety and Efficacy of Pemivibart, a Long-Acting Monoclonal Antibody, for Prevention of Symptomatic COVID-19 (CID)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) Retreatment With Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir Following Return of COVID-19 Symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 Positivity (CID) 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...
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • TWiV 1259: Capricious flu and a tickborne clue

    TWiV 1259: Capricious flu and a tickborne clue
    Oct 5 2025

    TWiV reviews experiments to understand infection, pathogenesis, and transmission of avian H5N1 influenza virus in goats, and identification of a cellular receptor for tick-borne encephalitis virus.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Brianne Barker

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Public trust in science (Nature)
    • Culling of H5N1 ostriches in Canada (Science)
    • H5N1 in goats (Cell Rep)
    • Receptor for tick-borne encephalitis virus (Nature)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1259
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Brianne – Astronomers find clues suggesting Planet Y
    Alan – A tower of worms wriggles like a single organism
    Vincent – The EPA Is Ending Greenhouse Gas Data Collection. Who Will Step Up to Fill the Gap?

    Listener Picks

    Jay – Who Killed the Electric Car
    Douglas – Measles and Polio Down in the Schoolyard – Marsh Family parody

    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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 44 mins
  • TWiV 1258: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    TWiV 1258: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
    Oct 4 2025
    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello chat about the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DRC, increases in screwworm diagnoses, a pertussis death in Mississippi before Dr. Griffin deep dives into recent statistics on the measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, monoclonal antibody therapy against RSV, where to find PEMGARDA, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, olfactory dysfunction following 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 Ebola Disease (WHO: African Region)Mexico sees 32% jump in flesh-eating screwworm cases since August as cases move north (Reuters)Pediatric Pertussis Death Reported (Mississippi State Department of Health) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)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) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))Measles (CDC: Measles Rubeola)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)Weekly surveillance report: cliff notes (CDC FluView)Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths — United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season (CDC: MMWR)ACIP Recommendations Summary (CDC: Influenza)Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season(FDA)RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)Nirsevimab Administration and RSV Hospitalization in the 2024-2025 Season (JAMA: Open Network)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)Evidence to Recommendations Framework (EtR): RSV Vaccination in Adults Aged 50–59 years (CDC: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases) Efficacy and safety of respiratory syncytial virus vaccines (Cochrane Library)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)Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV)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) 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 Olfactory Dysfunction After SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the RECOVER Adult Cohort (JAMA: Open Network)Reaching out to US house representativeLetters read on TWiV 1258Dr. 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.
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • TWiV Special: Searching plane poop for viruses

    TWiV Special: Searching plane poop for viruses
    Oct 1 2025

    From ESCV 2025, Vincent speaks with Elke Wollants about a project to identify SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses in toilet waste from airplanes.

    Host: Vincent Racaniello

    Guest: Elke Wollants

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Laboratory for Clinical and Epidemiological Virology (KU Leuven)
    • Virologists in Greece (TWiV 1255 from ESCV)
    • Airplane wastewater surveillance for pathogens (SSRN)
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

    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.
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • TWiV 1257: Better cocktails and CRISPR chicken

    TWiV 1257: Better cocktails and CRISPR chicken
    Sep 28 2025

    TWiV explains experiments to create genetically modified chickens that are resistant to avian influenza infection, and discovery of combination antiviral therapy for HTLV-1 infection.

    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
    • Creating avian influenza virus resistant chickens (Nat Comm)
    • Antiretroviral therapy and apoptosis inhibition for HTLV-1 (Cell)
    • HTLV-1 infection (Cleveland Clinic)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1257
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Rich – Chagas Disease, an Endemic Disease in the United States
    Alan – Archive of molecular biology artifacts ends its long, strange trip at a museum
    Vincent – The World’s Oceans Are Hurtling Toward Breaking Point

    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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 50 mins