TWiV 1181: Seek and ye shall find, coronaviruses and phage

TWiV discusses an outbreak of influenza H5N1 that killed over half of the great cats at a Washington sanctuary, origin and cross-species transmission of bat coronaviruses in China, and the diverse and abundant phages that enter cells via receptors encoded on conjugative plasmids. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Jolene Ramsey Click arrow to playDownload TWiV… Continue reading TWiV 1181: Seek and ye shall find, coronaviruses and phage

TWiV 1180: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the recent increase in norovirus outbreaks, human cases of H5N1 avian influenza, before reviewing the recent statistics on RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, the WasterwaterScan dashboard, where to find PEMGARDA, how effective Molnupiravir is and provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center.… Continue reading TWiV 1180: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

Predicting H5N1 disease severity based on T cell responses

New research led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) suggests that many people already have immune cells on “stand by” to fight the H5N1 virus, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza. The H5N1 “bird flu” virus emerged in 2022 and has spread widely in animal populations, including poultry and cattle. According… Continue reading Predicting H5N1 disease severity based on T cell responses

Skin explants reveal how Ebola virus moves through the body

Ebola is a deadly hemorrhagic disease caused by a virus that is endemic in parts of East-Central and West Africa. Most people are aware that a primary route for person-to-person transmission is through contact with bodily fluids from an infected person. But more recent outbreaks, including the 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, demonstrated that… Continue reading Skin explants reveal how Ebola virus moves through the body

Dengue virus IgG and neutralizing antibody titers measured with standard and mature viruses are protective

Abstract The standard dengue virus (DENV) neutralization assay inconsistently predicts dengue protection. We compare how IgG ELISA, envelope domain III (EDIII), or non-structural protein 1 (NS1) binding antibodies, and titers from plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNTs) using standard and mature viruses are associated with dengue. The ELISA measures IgG antibodies that bind to inactivated DENV1-4.… Continue reading Dengue virus IgG and neutralizing antibody titers measured with standard and mature viruses are protective

Study traces Ebola’s route to the skin surface

Researchers have traced a cellular route Ebola virus (EBOV) uses to traverse the inner and outer layers of skin and emerge onto the skin’s surface. The study identifies new cell types within the skin that are targeted by EBOV during infection and shows that human skin specimens actively support EBOV infection. Overall, the findings, suggest… Continue reading Study traces Ebola’s route to the skin surface