The Wall of Polio, version 3.0
…is simply another tool that I used to teach the world about virology. When you visit, expect that I will ask to photograph you before the Wall. Only a few…
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1977 H1N1 influenza virus is not relevant to the gain of function debate
…H1N1 virus from a biological weapons program is therefore considered unlikely. It is more likely that the 1977 H1N1 virus was released during testing of influenza virus vaccines. Many such…
Shedding poliovirus for 28 years
…vaccine strains excretes so-called vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs) which are known to have caused outbreaks of poliomyelitis in under-immunized populations. Immunocompromised individuals who produce very low levels of antibodies (a condition…
Why do we still use Sabin poliovirus vaccine?
…the Sabin vaccines still used globally? The answer to this question requires a brief visit to the history of poliovirus vaccines. The inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) developed by Jonas Salk…
Wasps do a gain-of-function experiment in caterpillars
…common wasp ancestor. With time the viral genes became dispersed in the wasp genome. The viruses produced by these wasps today no longer carry capsid coding genes – they are…
Prion contamination in the emergency room
Here is a follow-up to last week’s article that described a case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in a Texas resident caused by ingestion of BSE-contaminated beef 14 years ago. A…