Are viruses living entities? I don't believe so, but it's an engaging question for debate. On a recent episode of "This Week in Virology" we concluded that it's somewhat of a futile argument because everyone has their own view; perhaps our time is better spent studying viruses than discussing whether ...

I recall learning about chikungunya1 virus when I was a Ph.D. student in the late 1970s - only because its exotic name made an impression on me. The virus, first identified in Tanzania in 1953, causes severe rashes and joint pains, but is rarely fatal, and the infection was considered ...

In contrast to acute viral infections, persistent infections last for long periods, and occur when the primary infection is not cleared by the adaptive immune response. Varicella-zoster virus, measles virus, HIV-1, and human cytomegalovirus are examples of viruses that cause typical persistent infections. A chronic infection is a type of ...

The death of a dozen pigs from swine influenza last week in the Philippines reminded me of an incident at Fort Dix, NJ in 1976. The infection of humans with a strain of swine influenza lead to a nationwide immunization campaign to curb a pandemic that never occurred. An explosive outbreak ...

In episode #24 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent, Alan, and Hamish Young discuss bacteriophages in viral vaccines, enteroviruses and diabetes, inhibition of Hendra and Nipah virus replication by the malaria drug chloroquine, and viroids. Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #24 or ...