In Carl Zimmer's New York Times article describing the recovery of the giant virus Pithovirus sibericum from the Siberian permafrost, he used the words revive and resurrect. Can a virus be restored to life? The headline of the article read 'Out of Siberian ice, a virus revived'. Within the body ...

Infection with influenza virus is known to increase susceptibility to bacterial infections of the respiratory tract. In a mouse model of influenza, increased bacterial colonization was also observed after administration of an infectious, attenuated influenza virus vaccine. Primary influenza virus infection increases colonization of the human upper and lower respiratory ...

On episode #275 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent and Rich meet up with Eugene Koonin to talk about the central role of viruses in the evolution of all life. You can find TWiV #275 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.

A new virus called Pithovirus sibericum has been isolated from 30,000 year old Siberian permafrost. It is the oldest DNA virus of eukaryotes ever isolated, showing that viruses can retain infectivity in nature for very long periods of time. Pithovirus was isolated by inoculating cultures of the amoeba Acanthamoeba castellani with samples taken in the year ...

On episode #274 of the science show This Week in Virology, the TWiV team discusses recent cases of polio-like paralysis in California, and the virome of 14th century paleofeces. You can find TWiV #274 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.