In episode 39 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello and Dick Despommier discuss virus structure and answer listener questions. Links for this episode Diagrams of virus structures Boston Globe article on Genzyme FDA warning letter to Genzyme (thanks Peter!) Public Health Reports July - December 1918 (thanks Lenn!) Amateur scientists working with professionals (thanks Ennio!) Influenza H1N1 and computer analogies (thanks swiss compass!) Bone marrow transplant to cure AIDS not reported...
Jul 06, 2009•53 min
In episode 38 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello and Glenn Rall chat about koi herpesvirus, H1N1 influenza vaccine produced in insect cells, attack by a rabid raccoon, and measles. Links for this episode: Virus suspected in carp die-off: koi herpesvirus H1N1 influenza vaccine produced in insect cells with baculovirus vectors Outbreak of measles in Wales Production of influenza vaccines in cell cultures: MDCK , Vero , PER.C6 , EB66 , insect (thanks Peter!) Weekly Science Picks Gle...
Jun 28, 2009•1 hr 31 min
In episode 37 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove and guest Eric Freed talk about vesivirus contamination of bioreactors, pandemic influenza, maximizing the effect of vaccination by targeting children, chikungunya virus, and open access scientific journals. Links for this episode: Genzyme shuts down manufacturing of two enzyme drugs because of vesivirus contamination Brazilian H1N1 isolate is not novel WHO interactive H1N1 map Targeting children maximizes the effect o...
Jun 21, 2009•1 hr 14 min
In episode 36 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier and guest Hamish Young discuss the 2009 influenza pandemic, first 2009 H1N1 vaccine, hunting mosquitoes with midges, vaccine-associated polio in India, and adenoviruses. Links for this episode: WHO calls it a pandemic Novartis produces test run of H1N1 vaccine Midge keeps invasive mosquito in check Two cases of vaccine-associated polio in India BBC interactive map of influenza cases Outbreak of adenov...
Jun 15, 2009•1 hr 33 min
In episode 35 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier and guest Richard Kessin talk about Lujo virus, a new arenavirus, influenza, WHO rewriting pandemic rules, adjuvants, and a brief history of microbiology. Links for this episode: Lujo virus, a new arenavirus Is CDC too optimistic about influenza? WHO to rewrite pandemic rules Adjuvant at wikipedia Avery, MacLeod, McCarty 50th anniversary ( pdf ) Weekly Science Picks Dick Three papers on origins of inf...
Jun 07, 2009•1 hr 23 min
In episode 34 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , and guest Stephen Morse discuss progressive vaccinia in a smallpox vaccinee, arsenic and influenza in mice, facemasks and flu transmission, and antigenic and genetic analyses of the new H1N1 influenza virus. Links for this episode: Progressive vaccinia in a military smallpox vaccinee Arsenic compromises the immune response to influenza in mice Facemasks prevent flu transmission in a mathematical model Serum cross-rea...
May 31, 2009•1 hr 18 min
Vincent, Alan, Dick, and Raul Andino live at ASM discussed cytomegalovirus infection and blood pressure, restriction of avian influenza viral replication at low temperature, first isolation of West Nile virus in PA, and current status of influenza. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier , and Raul Andino Links for this episode: Cytomegalovirus infection causes an increase of arterial blood pressure Avian influenza virus glycoproteins restrict virus replication at low temperature...
May 24, 2009•1 hr 14 min
In episode 32 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove and guest Raul Rabadan converse about polio survivors in iron lungs, bocavirus, structure of mimivirus, and genome sequence analysis of influenza H1N1 viruses. Links for this episode: Death of Marsha Mason , who lived 60 years in an iron lung First discovery of bocavirus in human stool Structural studies of the giant mimivirus Pandemic potential of H1N1 influenza virus Was swine flu a lab accident? Bloomberg and NY Tim...
May 17, 2009•1 hr 14 min
In episode 31 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier and guest Marc Pelletier summarize the past week’s influenza H1N1 activity, and discuss parvovirus infection of dogs and humans. Weekly Science Picks Marc Celestia , an application Dick US Geological Survey website Alan Society for Amateur Scientists website Vincent Sneeze , an online game...
May 10, 2009•1 hr 14 min
On this special episode of This Week in Virology Vincent Racaniello and Dr. Peter Palese , noted influenza expert, discuss the origin and pandemic potential of the new H1N1 influenza virus.
May 06, 2009•40 min
In episode 30 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier and guest Hamish Young focus on the new H1N1 influenza virus, which originated in swine and is likely to be the next pandemic strain. Links for this episode: Original CDC report of California and Texas outbreak; recent updates here Science interview with CDC’s Ruben Donis CDC webpage on US status of influenza WHO webpage on international status of influenza Learn more about the outbreak an influenza v...
May 03, 2009•1 hr 8 min
In episode 29 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove and Dick Despommier talk about insect and human dengue virus host proteins, equine vaccine for WNV and EEEV, return of swine flu to humans, spread of polio in Africa, and listener email. Links for this episode: Discovery of insect and human dengue virus host proteins Immunize your horse with PreveNile Swine flu returns to California , Texas , Mexico Polio spreads from Nigeria to 15 African countries Dead Chinese woman ...
Apr 27, 2009•1 hr 11 min
In episode 28 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier , and Eric F. Donaldson discuss a new test for influenza H5N1, poliovirus in Minnesota, Koala retrovirus, batteries made from viruses, and SARS. Links for this episode: New rapid test for influenza H5N1 based on PDZ binding . Definition of ELISA . Poliovirus isolated from Minnesotan (article 1 and 2 ) Koala retrovirus: Japan story and review article Batteries made from viruses ( cathode and anode ). I...
Apr 19, 2009•1 hr 15 min
In episode 27 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier , and Saul Silverstein revisit an ebola virus needlestick accident, and discuss the role of TLR3 in formation of Negri bodies, a New England college closed by norovirus gastroenteritis, hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak in China, and the exit of herpes simplex virus from latency by synthesis of VP16. Links for this episode: Update on ebolavirus needlestick accident Formation of Negri bodies depen...
Apr 04, 2009•1 hr 11 min
In episode 26 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove and guest Rich Condit converse about induction of polyomavirus replication in multiple sclerosis patients treated with the MS drug Tysabri, the extent of human polyomavirus infection, selection of influenza vaccines for the 2009-10 season, cowpox virus transmission from animals to humans, vaccinia-like virus infecting humans and cattle in Brasil, and poxviruses. Links for this episode: JC virus, Tysabri, PML, and meflo...
Mar 29, 2009•1 hr 15 min
In episode 25 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove and guest Luis Villarreal discuss rabies in Viet Nam and Angola, needle-stick infections with ebola virus and West Nile virus, and viral evolution. Links for this episode: Furious rabies after an atypical exposure Rabies outbreak in Angola Ebola virus needle stick injury in Germany West Nile virus needle stick injury in South Africa Antibody response to smallpox vaccine in humans (including Dr. Villarreal) The chemical...
Mar 22, 2009•1 hr 7 min
Vincent, Alan, and Hamish Young discuss bacteriophages in viral vaccines, enteroviruses and diabetes, inhibition of Hendra and Nipah virus replication by the malaria drug chloroquine, and viroids. Links for this episode: Bacteriophages in viral vaccines Presence of enteroviral VP1 protein in pancreatic islets of diabetics Chloroquine inhibits Hendra and Nipah virus replication Review on viroids discovered by TO Diener Mumps in Ireland CDC information on EBV (thanks Megan!) and Journal of Virolog...
Mar 15, 2009•59 min
Vincent, Dick, and Alan review a new macaque model for HIV-1 infection, a possible role for Epstein-Barr virus in multiple sclerosis, accidental release of H5N1 by a vaccine company, resistance of frogs to virus infection, and extreme virology - the biggest and smallest viruses and viral genomes. Links for this episode: Harold Varmus on The Daily Show Macaque model for HIV-1 infection ( photo of pig-tailed macaque) Possible role of Epstein-Barr virus in multiple sclerosis Accidental distribution...
Mar 08, 2009•49 min
In episode 22 of This Week in Virology , host Vincent Racaniello and guest host Chris Upton , a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Victoria in Vancouver, Canada, converse about hepatitis B in India, AIDS gene therapy with a ribozyme, antibodies that neutralize many influenza virus strains, killing tumors with vaccinia virus, myxoma virus of rabbits, and the Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center. Links in the episode indlude: Hepatitis B outbreak in I...
Feb 28, 2009•59 min
In episode 21 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Dick Despommier, Alan Dove, and special guest Max Gottesman , discuss an unusual wasp-virus symbiosis, influenza transmission and absolute humidity, how mosquitoes survive Dengue virus infection, and viruses of bacteria. Links in the episode indlude: Unusual wasp-virus symbiosis Absolute humidity modulates influenza virus transmission, survival, and seasonality How mosquitoes survive Dengue virus infection Little Lambda , Who Ma...
Feb 22, 2009•55 min
Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Matt Evans converse about TED, the Wakefield autism controversy, 99 rhinovirus sequences, Marburg in the USA, and hepatitis C virus.
Feb 15, 2009•1 hr 6 min
Vincent and Alan discuss cap-snatching by the hantavirus N protein and the influenza virus endonuclease, HIV-1 and Ebola virus antagonism of tetherin, and influenza pneumonia.
Feb 08, 2009•40 min
Vincent, Dick, and Alan discuss adenovirus type 36 and obesity, new influenza antiviral drugs, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus of fish, and Ebola virus in pigs and pig farmers in the Phillipines.
Jan 31, 2009•50 min
Vincent, Dick, and Saul talk about discoveries in virology that have had a major impact on the field. Sem•i•nal (adjective): strongly influencing later developments. Note: There are two HPV vaccines on the market: Gardasil (quadrivalent, types 6, 11, 16, 18) and Cervarix (bivalent, types 16 and 18). Links for this episode: Gates Foundation donates to polio eradication effort. Testing a bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine in India . We played a clip from net@night episode 83 . I wrote about Jonathan...
Jan 24, 2009•58 min
Vincent and Jeremy, in Saanen, Switzerland, review the 19th Challenge in Virology meeting, and implications of a new HIV-1 sequence from 1960 for the origin of AIDS. Links for this episode: NY Times article on Offit vaccine book. Nature paper on new 1960 HIV-1 sequence. Massive polio immunization in Pakistan . PLoS paper on T cell responses to HERVs in HIV-1 infection. Science blog of the week: Eye on DNA by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei Science podcast pick of the week: Persiflager’s Infectious Disease P...
Jan 18, 2009•1 hr 4 min
Vincent, Dick, and Alan converse about hantavirus spread by large deer mice, why the 1918 influenza virus replicates in the lower respiratory tract, measles in Europe, and the growing resistance of influenza virus to antivirals. Links for this episode: MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from CDC. Larger, older deer mice spread hantavirus . Viral RNA polymerase complex promotes optimal growth of 1918 virus in the lower respiratory tract of ferrets. Measles in Europe: an epidemiological a...
Jan 13, 2009•54 min
Vincent and Alan discuss a viral upper respiratory tract infection, transmission of H5N1 influenza virus, death of an HIV denialist, and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Links in this episode: PLoS Pathogens paper on transmission of H5N1 influenza virus. Ebola outbreak in DRC reported by ProMedMail . Death of HIV denialist . BioCrowd , a network for bioscientists. Molecules , the iPhone/iPod Touch app to display molecules. Science blog of the week: ViroBlogy Science po...
Jan 05, 2009•54 min
Vincent and Alan talk about President-elect Obama’s choices for his science advisors, SARS sensationalism, a new enteric picornavirus, and the top 10 virology stories of 2008. Obama’s science advisors ( Yahoo story ) CDC RSS feed on influenza PNAS paper on a new enteric picornavirus TWiV’s top 10 virology stories of 2008: 1. Nobel Prize in Medicine to Montagnier, Barré-Sinoussi, and zur Hausen 2. AIDS elite controllers partly explained 3. Cancellation of PAVE HIV-1 vaccine trial 4. Gut homing re...
Dec 28, 2008•50 min
Vincent, Alan, and Angela discuss Kuru, prions in milk, ancient lentiviruses found in the chromosomes of lemurs, a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine failure in the 1960s, and recent outbreaks of H5N1 influenza in chickens. Links for this episode: D. Carleton Gajdusek obituary in the NY Times. We forgot to mention that he won the 1976 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work on Kuru. PLoS Pathogens article on prions in sheep milk. PNAS article on endogenous lemur lentivirus Nature Medicine article ...
Dec 21, 2008•45 min
Vincent, Alan, and Jeremy discuss why certain AIDS patients, called ‘elite controllers’ or ‘long-term non-progressors’, do not develop disease, why mosquitoes infected with Sindbis virus remain healthy, and the continuing outbreaks of norovirus gastroenteritis. Links for this episode: Immunity article on elite controllers. PNAS article on protected mosquitoes. The word quarantine comes from the seventeenth century Venetian quarantena , which means forty day period. Science podcast pick of the we...
Dec 13, 2008•1 hr 8 min
