Virology
An antiviral compound that blocks SARS-CoV-2 transmission in ferrets
By Vincent Racaniello
COVID-19 vaccine candidates are garnering all the news these days, which is appropriate as they are our key to ending this pandemic. Earlier in this outbreak antiviral drugs received a good deal of attention, but they have proven less useful in curtailing infection. Less discussed are the many antiviral drug ...
My at-home SARS-CoV-2 antibody test result
By Vincent Racaniello
Recently I had a false positive PCR result for SARS-CoV-2. To confirm that I was not infected, I did an assay for viral antibodies in my blood using a rapid, at home, lateral flow assay. In this video I explain how the assay works and what my results mean.
TWiV 690: This is your brain on SARS-CoV-2
By Vincent Racaniello
TWiV reviews the difficulties in predicting species susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection by only examining the ACE2 protein, and the olfactory mucosa as a portal of entry into the central nervous system in COVID-19 patients. Click arrow to playDownload TWiV 690 (71 MB .mp3, 120 min)Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes ...
TWiV 689: COVID-19 clinical update #39 with Dr. Daniel Griffin
By Vincent Racaniello
Daniel Griffin provides his weekly clinical report on COVID-19, including analysis of vitamin D levels in patients, information on Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, distribution plans suggested by ACIP, and more. Click arrow to playDownload TWiV 689 (22 MB .mp3, 37 min)Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv
Pandoraviruses Are Not Alive
By Gertrud U. Rey
by Gertrud U. Rey Viruses are universally defined as "obligate intracellular parasites" because they cannot replicate outside of a host cell and depend on that cell and its various metabolic factors for replicating their genome. Based on this definition, most virologists agree that viruses are not alive. When giant viruses ...
