This Week in Virology TWiV 1269: The smell of influenza in the morning
Nov 9, 2025
The podcast dives into the legacy of James D. Watson, highlighting his contributions and controversies in DNA research. It discusses alarming trends in bird flu outbreaks and the impact of budget cuts on global influenza surveillance. The panel explores significant findings linking HPV to cancers through groundbreaking studies. A fascinating human challenge study on influenza sheds light on infection dynamics and shedding patterns. Finally, the hosts recommend intriguing topics like a pandemic-themed board game and the environmental effects of whiskey fungus.
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Vaccinate Against HPV Even After Exposure
- Get vaccinated against HPV even if previously infected because vaccination improves outcomes and reduces recurrence risk.
- Vincent Racaniello emphasizes vaccination prevents cancer and saves lives.
Controlled Human Infection Reveals Flu Dynamics
- Controlled human infection models (CHIM) let researchers measure shedding, aerosol emissions, and symptom timing for influenza under tight control.
- These CHIMs require careful ethics, dosing, and complex sampling to reveal transmission kinetics.
Always Include A Time-Zero Sample
- Design challenge studies with an early 'time-zero' sample after inoculation to distinguish inoculum from replication.
- Vincent Racaniello and others urge a pre- or immediate-post inoculation swab to interpret early viral detection.
