Sharon Isern and Scott Michael return to TWiV for a Zika virus update, including their work on viral evolution and spread, and whether pre-existing immunity to dengue virus enhances pathogenesis.   Click arrow to play Download TWiV 454 (65 MB .mp3, 108 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv

The short answer to the question posed in the title of this blog is: we don't know. Why would we even consider that a prior dengue virus infection would increase the severity of a Zika virus infection? The first time you are infected with dengue virus, you are likely to ...

https://youtu.be/dfW7to5GXIg From the Vector-Borne Viruses Symposium in Hamilton, Montana, Dickson and Vincent speak with Diane Griffin about her career and her work on understanding viral infections of the central nervous system.   Click arrow to play Download TWiV 453 (39 MB .mp3, 64 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv

Lynda Coughlan joins the weekly virtual bus companions for a discussion of a host defense peptide from frogs that destroys influenza virus, and mouse models for acute and chronic hepacivirus infection. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 452 (68 MB .mp3, 113 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv

Frogs don't get flu (as far as I know) but their skin contains a peptide that inhibits the replication of influenza virus (link to paper). Frog skin contains host defense peptides (HDPs), part of the innate immune defenses of many species. They were first found in amphibians by Michael Zasloff, ...