Slow motion sneezing
A bit unsettling, but this is what happens when a sneeze is not contained: If you have a respiratory viral infection, each drop expelled can contain tens of thousands of infectious virions. Made by South Australian Health.
influenza
Viruses on Time
Poliovirus recently made the cover of Time magazine. Prompted by a reader question, I searched the Time archive to find out if there have been other virology-themed covers. I found fifteen in all, depicting poliovirus (3), herpesvirus (1), HIV/AIDS (4), influenza (5), and SARS coronavirus (2) (I did not distinguish between US and international editions). …
Effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released early estimates of the effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine in preventing influenza infection. Influenza vaccine effectiveness is assessed each year by the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network. Patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI) are enrolled in the study; respiratory samples are taken and the presence …
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Friday flu shot
Yesterday many US newspapers carried front-page stories on the severity of influenza so far this season. The New York Times story began with “It is not your imagination,more people you know are sick this winter, even people who have had flu shots.” Is this really a bad flu season? Before we answer that question, I would like …
TWiV 212: Apocalypse TWiV 122112 212
On episode #212 of the science show This Week in Virology, the TWiVerers answer listener email about genetically modified chickens, a hendra vaccine for horses, online education, curing color blindness, Roosevelt and polio, Th cells, and much more. You can find TWiV #212 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.
TWiV 211: Viruses r us
On episode #211 of the science show This Week in Virology, the TWiV four discuss an mRNA-based influenza vaccine, and a phage tubulin that forms a filamentous array in the host cell that is needed for positioning viral DNA. You can find TWiV #211 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.