TWiV #25 - Viral evolution

In episode 25 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove and guest Luis Villarreal discuss rabies in Viet Nam and Angola, needle-stick infections with ebola virus and West Nile virus, and viral evolution. Links for this episode: Furious rabies after an atypical exposure Rabies outbreak in Angola Ebola virus needle stick injury in Germany West Nile virus needle stick injury in South Africa Antibody response to smallpox vaccine in humans (including Dr. Villarreal) The chemical formula for polio virus is: C332, 652H492, 388N98, 245O131, 196P7, 501S2, 340. Because poliovirus is a quasispecies, the number of atoms is a population average. Review article: Ten Reasons to Exclude Viruses from the Tree of Life Origin and Evolution of Viruses, second edition, edited by Esteban Domingo Origin of Group Identity by Luis Villarreal Science blog of the week: Small Things Considered by Moselio Schaechter and Merry Youle Science podcast pick of the week: The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe Science book of the week: Viruses and the Evolution of Life by Luis Villarreal