Referral: TWiV and the `Panic Virus’

 

 

 

# 5253

 

 

Regular readers of this blog are no doubt aware that while I accept there are some (mostly minor) risks to vaccines, that I am decidedly (and unapologetically) pro-vaccination.

 

Of course, I’m old enough to remember a time when American children were still being crippled by polio and miserable childhood diseases like measles, mumps, and chickenpox were practically rites of passage.

 

Thankfully, by the time I arrived on the scene - in the early 1950s - Pertussis, Diphtheria, and Tetanus (still common when my father was a boy) were no longer major disease players here in the United States. 

 

And the reason for the decline of all of these (and many more) diseases in developed countries has been largely due to the use of vaccines.

 

While I’ve taken the anti-vaccination crowd to task a number of times in these pages (for example, see The Monsters Are Due On Vaccine Street), I don’t do so every day because my readers are generally pretty well informed on these issues, and I’d be preaching to the choir.

 

But I’m always pleased when I find a rational discussion of vaccines on the Internet.

 

Today, as an example, I’m listening to Vincent Racaniello’s latest TWiV (This Week In Virology) podcast, with co-host Rich Condit  and special guest Seth Mnookin, author of The Panic Virus, which deals with the anti-vaccine movement, autism, and the media’s coverage of science.

 

TWiV 117: The Panic Virus with Seth Mnookin

23 January 2011

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Seth Mnookin

On episode #117 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent and Rich converse with Seth Mnookin, author of The Panic Virus, about vaccines, autism, thimerosal, and a contagion of human unreason run wild.

 

Right click to download TWiV #117 (69 MB .mp3, 96  minutes).

 

Well worth 96 minutes of your time.

 

And if you aren’t a regular listening to TWiV (and the newer TWiP - This Week in Parasitism) you should give them a shot.

Referral: TWiV - Dengue In Florida

 

 

 

# 5137

 

 

 

Vincent_Racaniello’s Virology Blog is a favorite of mine, as are his TWiV (This week in Virology) and TWiP (This Week in Parasitism) podcasts. While some of his blogs, shows, and lectures may occasionally wander into some fairly advanced topics, for the most part, I’m able to keep up.

 

This week, Vincent and the TWiV gang (Alan Dove, Rich Condit) are joined by Ed Fussell, Andrea Leal, and Amy Sargent of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District at Florida Gulf Coast University (Ft. Myers) for a 105 minute show on Dengue in Florida and Mosquito control in the Florida Keys.

 

I’m multi-tasking this morning, listening to the podcast as I search for something else to blog on, and so I’ve not heard the whole show yet.  But  I’m certain you’ll find it entertaining and informative.

 

 

TWiV 111: Live at Florida Gulf Coast University

13 December 2010

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, Ed Fussell, Andrea Leal, and Amy Sargent

On episode #111 of the podcast This Week in Virology, the TWiV crew meets with members of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District at Florida Gulf Coast University to discuss dengue in Florida and how to control it.

 

Download TWiV #111 (76 MB .mp3, 105 minutes). To download, right-click or control-click on the link, then select save as.

 

 

For more on Florida’s Dengue and mosquito borne disease issues, you can check out the recent blogs.

 

Florida: Locally Acquired Malaria Case Suspected

ASTMH: Dengue and Insect-Borne EIDs In The US

MMWR: Dengue Fever In Key West

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

TWiV Referral: Does A Virus Shift In The Woods?

 

 

 

# 4814

 

 

One of my weekly pleasures is listening to Professor Vincent Racaniello’s (and company) TWiV This Week In Virology podcast.  

 

Vincent also pens the terrific Virology Blog, which ought to be part of your daily rounds.

 

This week’s broadcast features Professor Racaniello brainstorming along with Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit.  

 

Together they discuss the end of the H1N1 pandemic, Dengue in Key West, yellow fever, mosquito vectors, vaccinia virus infection in monkeys, and viruses in the faecal microbiota.

 

Fascinating stuff, and presented as an informal and entertaining chat between knowledgeable individuals. 

 

I’d have mentioned this terrific podcast, even without the clever title.  So set aside 95 minutes of your time this week to listen to:

 

TWiV 95: Does a virus shift in the woods?

TWiV #95 (68 MB .mp3, 94 minutes)

You can also subscribe to TWiV (free) in iTunes , at the Zune Marketplace, by the RSS feed, or by email, or listen on your mobile device with Stitcher Radio.

Referral: TWiV on Influenza

 

 

# 4452

 

 

Vincent Racaniello has a special one-on-one interview with Adolfo Garcia-Sastre on the origin and pathogenesis novel H1N1 virus on this week’s TWiV podcast.

 

Dr. García-Sastre is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

 

While a great many topics are covered, the significance of the D225G mutation is discussed at length.  This week’s TWiV podcast runs about 45 minutes.

 

If you aren’t a regular listener to TWiV (This Week In Virology), and a regular visitor to Racaniello’s Virology Blog,  you really should be. 

 

TWiV #74: Influenza with Professor Adolfo Garcia-Sastre

TWiV & TWiP Podcasts

 

 

# 4015

 

 

While I’ve mentioned it a couple of times in the past (here and here), Professor Vincent Racaniello who writes the excellent Virology Blog - which you’ll find in my sidebar -  also co-hosts the fascinating TWiV (This Week In Virology) podcast.

 

Along with Dick Despommier, Racaniello and 1 or 2 guests each week discuss some of the most interesting virology stories of the week.  If you aren’t listening, you should be.

There are 58 episodes available.   This week’s episode covers:

• Post-exposure passive antibody therapy for Nipah virus in ferret
• Is yearly influenza vaccination of children a bad idea?
• Debate on N95 masks vs surgical masks to prevent influenza
• Weather patterns help predict dengue outbreaks
• Diverse viral community in Antarctica’s icy lakes (thanks Russ!)

Along with several other issues. 

 

I’m slowly going back through the archives, trying to catch up.  This is a terrific resource for anyone interested virology, or science.  

 

Recent Episodes

• TWiV 58: Nipah virus in ferrets
• TWiV 57: Virology in high school
• TWiV 56: Perspicuously perspicacious
• TWiV 55: Mice lie, monkeys exaggerate
• TWiV 54: Professor Lynn Enquist, virology luminary
• TWiV 53: The ends justify the means
• TWiV 52: Scott Hammer, MD on AIDS vaccines
• TWiV 51: ALVAC-HIV and AIDSVAX B/E
• TWiV 50: XMRV
• TWiV 49: Viral genomes

 

 

If your interests run to parasites (and whose doesn’t?), then you’ll be excited to learn that Racaniello and Despommier have launched TWiP (This week is Parasitism). 

Episode 1 is now online 

TWiP 1: Introduction to Parasitism