This Week in Virology

TWiV reviews a survey conducted in Cambodia's floating villages to explore measles vaccination perceptions and willingness to consider novel vaccination approaches, and how a prophage defends against an infecting phage.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Brianne Barker, and Jolene Ramsey
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
ASV 2026
Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
Update on US measles outbreak (npr)
Tracking Poll on Trust in the CDC and Views of Federal Childhood Vaccine Schedule Changes (KFF)
Measles vaccination perceptions in Cambodia (J Virol)
Prophage defends against infecting phage (Cell Host Micro)
Letters read on TWiV 1295
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Weekly Picks
Brianne - Libib book cataloging app
Rich - The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I by Douglas Brunt
Jolene - Ellie Jameson artwork and Redbubble
Vincent - Recursion by Blake Crouch
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 during Ground hog week, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are back to discuss the measles outbreak in South Carolina, American Academy of Pediatrics vaccine recommendations and shingles vaccine and the reduction of dementia, then deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wastewater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, estimated effectiveness of this year’s COVID-19 vaccine, long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, long COVID in children, the potential benefits of metformin to reduce disease severity following SARS-CoV-2 infection in obese and overweight patients 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
Grading the groundhogs (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Sand Mountain Sam predicts an early spring (News19)
All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule (healthychildren.org)
Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule: United States, 2026: Policy Statement (American Academy of Pediatrics: Pediatrics)
Herpes zoster vaccination and incident dementia in Canada: an analysis of natural experiments (LANCET: Neurology)
Detection of avian flu antibodies in Dutch dairy cow: ECDC risk assessment remains unchanged (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control)
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)
Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)
Big outbreak, bright lights…Measles Dashboard(South Carolina Department of Public Health)
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)
US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)
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)
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)
Estimated Effectiveness of 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccination Against Severe COVID-19 (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)
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
Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort study (LANCET: Infectious Diseases)
Long COVID is here to stay—even in children (LANCET: Infectious Diseases)
Early administration of neutralising monoclonal antibodies and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (International Journal of Infectious Diseases)
Preventing Long COVID With Metformin (CID)
Metformin may reduce risk of long COVID by 64% in overweight or obese adults
(CIDRAP)
Effect of Metformin on the Risk of Post-coronavirus Disease 2019 Condition Among Individuals With Overweight or Obese (CID)
Preventing Long COVID With Metformin (CID)
New review highlights growing evidence that diabetes drug metformin can prevent long COVID (CIDRAP)
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1294
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 the finding in Sweden that immunization against cervical cancer with human papillomavirus vaccine also protects the non-immunized, and methyl salicylic acid as a key volatile molecule that attracts parasitoid wasps to rice and other crops to destroy destructive leafhoppers, and is down-regulated by virus infection to enable virus spread.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler
Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email
Become a patron of TWiV!
Links for this episode
Support science education at MicrobeTV
ASV 2026
Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
"Host adaptations to viral infections” International Meeting
William Foege dies (NY Times)
Peter Duesberg dies (NY Times)
US gov't lost over 10,000 PhDs under DJT (Science)
Herd effect of HPV vaccination (Lancet Pub Health)
Arboviruses manipulate rice's volatile emissions (Sci Adv)
Letters read on TWiV 1293
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Weekly Picks
Kathy - The Beak of the Finch, by Jonathan Weiner
Rich - Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
Vincent - The Man from Beijing by Henning Mankell
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 discuss with disgust the decline and fall of American public health and the rise of “only me” when highlighting completion of the US withdrawal from the WHO and possibility of making IPV and MMR optional vaccines, before Dr. Griffin then deep dives into recent statistics RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, Johns Hopkins measles tracker, Europe losing its measles elimination status, first measles death in Mexico, almost 1000 measles cases in South Carolina, where to find PEMGARDA, how to access and pay for Paxlovid, long COVID treatment center, the effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions 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
US completes withdrawal from World Health Organization (AP News)
Rejecting Decades of Science, Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional (NY Times)
A Frightening Interview (Beyond the Noise)
Unexplained Pauses in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Surveillance: Erosion of the Public Evidence Base for Health Policy (Annals of Internal Medicine)
Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)
UK among 6 European countries losing measles elimination status (Dougall MD: DG Alerts)
European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) (WHO: Europe)
Measles Outbreak Associated with an Infectious Traveler — Colorado, May–June 2025 (CDC: MMWR)
South Carolina measles cases hit 789, surpassing Texas' 2025 outbreak total (Reuters)
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)
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)
States across the country report first measles cases of year(CIDRAP)
First measles death confirmed in Mexico in 2026 (Mexico News)
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 Vaccine Effectiveness Among Children With and Without Underlying Conditions(Pediatrics)
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)
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)
Effectiveness and Durability of the BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine against COVID-19 Hospitalization and Emergency Department or Urgent Care Encounters in US Adults (OFID)
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)
Association of Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir with intubation or mortality risks in severe COVID-19 patients (BMC Infectious Diseases)
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
Reaching out to US house representative
Letters read on TWiV 1292
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 emergence of a neurovirulent double recombinant from the ‘improved’ nOPV2 in Uganda, and efficiency of viral entry determined whether cells are latently or lytically infected with cytomegalovirus.
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
ASV 2026
Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
nOPV2 neurovirulent recombinant in Uganda (Nat Micro)
2023 IMB report on polio eradication
Viral entry shapes HCMV latency establishment (Nat Comm)
Letters read on TWiV 1291
Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
Weekly Picks
Brianne – Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Rich – Sequoiadendron giganteum; Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
Alan – The Murderbot Diaries book series, by Martha Wells
Vincent – Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!
Listener Picks
Rocky – Cheetah mummies found in cave (Nature, National Geographic)
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.