This Week in Virology

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.
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
Bob Tesh dies (Galv News)
Comment on propsed changes to NIH peer review (NIH)
NIH peer review proposed changes (Forbes)
Ancient RNA guided DNA recognition (Science)
Noncontiguous geometric triplex (Science)
p-tau has anti-herpes virus activity (Nat Neurosci)
Letters read on TWiV 1361
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Picks of the Week
Brianne – APoD September 14: Origins of Elements
Alan – Redshirts, by John Scalzi
Vincent – Prone to Bruise by David Molesky he’s at Spring/Break till 9/28
Listener Pick
Anne – Nikon Small World in Motion Competition
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 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 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
CDC adds 177 cases to US measles total but has yet to confirm deaths in Pennsylvania (CIDRAP)
Kennedy questions vaccine safety at Children’s Health Defense event (CIDRAP)
Trump says some routine immunizations will be split into five separate shots. Vaccine experts say it won’t work (CNN)
Multistate Hepatitis A Outbreak Potentially Linked to Frozen Clams (CDC: Hepatitis A)
Cumulative Incidence and Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (JAMA Pediatrics)
Data and Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder (CDC: Autism Spectrum Disorder)
Study uncovers no evidence of autism epidemic, despite claims (CIDRAP)
Florida confirms a death from dengue as the state struggles with one of its worst recent outbreaks (AP News)
Legionnaires’ Disease (NYC: Health)
Dashboard SCREWWORM.Gov (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)
CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for New World Screwworm Response (CDC Newroom)
Democratic Republic of Congo (AP News)
Ebola virus (AP News)
Congo begins Ebola vaccinations for health workers in the epicenter of the outbreak (AP News)
Ebola dashboard (ebola.fyi)
EBOLA: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2026 (WHO)
Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak Democratic Republic of the Congo(WHO: Democratic Republic of Congo)
Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation (CDC:Ebola)
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 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)
Pennsylvania asks CDC for emergency assistance amid RFK Jr. clash over measles(The Hill)
Pennsylvania measles-associated deaths climb to four as outbreak grows (Reuters)
Pennsylvania asks for CDC measles help amid Kennedy dispute (Reuters)
Republican senator faults Trump vaccine policy for US measles deaths as panel weighs health nominees (Reuters)
US CDC works on standard definition for measles deaths as cases rise (Reuters)
Cost of a Measles Outbreak in an Urban Shelter (JAMA Open Network)
Measles outbreak in Chicago shelter cost nearly $9 million, CDC estimates (CIDRAP)
World’s most contagious virus hits major US airport as officials warn of possible exposure (FoxNews)
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)
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)
Immunogenicity and safety of an MF59-adjuvanted cell-derived higher-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (aQIVc) in adults aged 50 years or older: a phase 3 randomised controlled trial (LANCET: Infectious Diseases)
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)
RSV Immunization Effectiveness and Safety for the 2026-2027 Respiratory Season (JAMA)
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)
Baseline interferon signaling in monocytes and antibody-mediated innate activation are associated with reactogenicity to mRNA vaccines (Science Translational Medicine)
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET)(CDC: Covid)
CDC inaction delays COVID shots for low-income children (CIDRAP)
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
Loss of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 in striatum of long COVID and relationship to neuropsychiatric symptoms (eBioMedicine)
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1360
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.

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.
Host: Vincent Racaniello
Guests: Roberto Cattaneo and Kalpana Yadav
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
How measles virus adapts to the brain (Ann Rev Virol)
Measles virus F50S change in neuronal spread (J Virol)
Measles virus collective infectious unit and SSPE (J Virol)
Measles virus brain tropism acquisition (PLoS Path)
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.

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 and safety of the 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine, 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

 
Unvaccinated Woman Likely Died of Measles Complications, Pa. County Coroner Says NY Times)
Confirmed death of an 18-year old due to complications of measles (Facebook: Mifflin County Coroner’s Office)
CDC’s new tracking method for measles deaths puzzles experts (CIDRAP)
Kennedy to deliver keynote for anti-vaccine group he once led (STATNews)
Exclusive: New NIH research center on vaccine harms takes shape (Science)
US pediatricians report seeing fewer patients because of immigration enforcement worries (CIDRAP)
Surgeon General Nominee Pledges Support for Vaccines in Senate Hearing (NY Times)
CIDRAP Op-Ed: HHS is asking what to call vaccine recommendations. You have 4 days to weigh in. (CIDRAP)
21,000 Unvaccinated Children Are Not a Minor Problem, But a Warning Sign (GPEI)
Researchers file First Amendment challenge to NIH grant screening (Science)
Cooling towers at Yankee Stadium test positive for Legionnaires’ in new cluster (NBC News)
Legionnaires’ Disease (NYC: Health)
Dashboard SCREWWORM.Gov (USDA: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)
CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for New World Screwworm Response (CDC Newroom)
Texas ranch horse becomes nation’s first confirmed equine New World screwworm case (Houston Chronicle)
Quick takes: Cautious optimism on Ebola, rare New World screwworm in a horse, HIV alert in Fiji (CIDRAP)
Ebola dashboard (ebola.fyi)
EBOLA: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2026 (WHO)
Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak Democratic Republic of the Congo (WHO: Democratic Republic of Congo)
Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation (CDC:Ebola)
Notes from the Field: The First 100 Days of Five Ebola Outbreaks — Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and West Africa, 2007–2026  (CDC: MMWR)
Notes from the Field: Characteristics and Monitoring of the 2026 Outbreak of Ebola Disease Caused by Bundibugyo Virus — Democratic Republic of the Congo, August 2026 (CDC:MMWR)
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 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)
Measles in Bangladesh (microbeTV: TWIV)
Suspected measles cases kill nearly 1,000 as Bangladesh struggles to contain outbreak (AP News)
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)
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: clift notes (CDC FluView)
OPTION 2: XOFLUZA $50 Cash Pay Option (xofluza)
Early Antiviral Therapy in Pediatric Outpatients and Risk of Influenza-Related Hospitalization (Pediatrics)
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)
RSV Immunization Effectiveness and Safety for the 2026-2027 Respiratory Season (JAMA)
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)
Covid Vaccines Delayed for Half of U.S. Children (NY Times)
COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Safety for the 2026-2027 Respiratory Season (JAMA)
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 1358
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.

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.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
Genetic innovation in coronaviruses driven by a viral nuclease (bioRxiv)
Letters read on TWiV 1357
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Picks of the Week
Kathy – Jurassic Museum of Asturias
Alan – Grand Central Winter, by Lee Stringer
Vincent – How to Choose REAL Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Practical Guide and How to Tell if Your Olive Oil is Fake! Quick Kitchen Tip!
Listener Pick
Shirley – I Told You So! by Matt Kaplan
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.