virology blog
About viruses and viral disease
In this episode we explain how regions of the human genome associated with severe COVID-19 are identified, the finding that one of these regions was inherited from Neanderthals, and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 reproduction in an immunocompromised patient.
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Download TWiV 676 (72 MB .mp3, 120 min)
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Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv
After infection with poliovirus, only about 1% of individuals develop paralysis. I have always wondered whether genetic polymorphisms underlie the rarity of this disease outcome. The results of study carried out in Denmark provide the first insights.
[Read more…] about The rarity of paralysis following poliovirus infection
An outbreak of respiratory disease in Ugandan chimpanzees provides insight into how virus infection can shape the genome and lead to differences in the cell receptor gene that regulate susceptibility to infection.
On episode #266 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent, Alan, and Kathy discuss finding viruses in outer space, varying results obtained from personal genetic testing, and depletion of CD4 cells during HIV infection by pyroptosis.
You can find TWiV #266 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.