Those of you with an interest in virology, or perhaps simply sensationalism, have probably seen the recent headlines proclaiming another laboratory-made killer influenza virus. From The Independent: 'Appalling irresponsibility: Senior scientists attack Chinese researchers for creating new strains of influenza virus'; and from InSing.com: 'Made-in-China killer flu virus'. It's unfortunate ...

On episode #231 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent meets up with Amit, Lan, and Ian to discuss their discovery of hepaciviruses and pegiviruses in bats and rodents. You can find TWiV #231 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.

I joined Buddhini Samarasinghe and Scott Lewis on a Science Sunday Hangout on Air to talk about my career in virology: how I came to be interested in viruses, and what goes on in my laboratory. You can find hangouts and more at the ScienceSunday community.  

On episode #230 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent, Rich, Alan and Kathy review H7N9 infections in China, the debate over patenting genes, and receptor-binding by ferret-transmissible avian H5 influenza virus. You can find TWiV #230 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.

Results of a study of four patients in Zhejiang, China, who developed influenza H7N9 virus infection suggests sporadic poultry-to-human transmission: We diagnosed avian influenza A H7N9 in all four patients (who were epidemiologically unlinked), two of whom died and two of whom were recovering at the time of writing. All ...