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Reposted by Alain Kohl

PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 1d

Persistent viral #infections in #insects are not as harmless as once believed. @salehlabparis.bsky.social &co show how such infections in #FruitFlies alter survival, reproduction, behavior & gene expression, revealing the hidden costs of #viral persistence @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4olpuXm

Cartoon illustration depicting a sick Drosophila melanogaster surrounded by different viruses, symbolizing the impact of persistent viral infections on the model organism. Image credit Rubén González.

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Reposted by Alain Kohl

Moritz Kraemer @mugkraemer.bsky.social · 3d

From January to 8 October 2025, France (n = 700) and Italy (n = 353) have reported CHIKV cases widely across their territories. The increase in clusters coincides with global outbreaks and temperature anomalies in Europe.

Active clusters shown here:
gis.ecdc.europa.eu/portal/apps/...

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Outbreak News Today @outbreaknews.bsky.social · 3d

CDC issues travel notice for Senegal due to Rift Valley fever outbreak
open.substack.com/pub/outbreak...

CDC issues travel notice for Senegal due to Rift Valley fever outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel notice for Senegal because of a Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak reported in the northern part of the country.

open.substack.com

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Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 3d

The editors of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) were apparently fired today.

The precursor to MMWR began in 1878 to address emerging public health threats rapidly.

We are not “great” without it. We are vulnerable to threats from sporadic foodborne illness to bioterrorism.

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 3d

I can only again express my support to my colleagues. It will mean very little to them just now but when the history books will analyse these events they’ll still be the good guys who made it their mission to protect and help.

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 3d

Whether that was their intention or not, it’s an important message nonetheless. I’m involved in different types of research but on occasion I’d like to write an impact statement that simply says “because it’s an interesting topic”.

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 4d

Chainsaw beyond repair?

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 5d

The Trump administration confirmed that the U.S. bailed out Argentina.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had directly bought Argentine pesos in global currency markets in a bid to relieve pressure on the nation’s embattled President Javier Milei, a supporter of President Trump.

The U.S. just bailed out Argentina, Treasury Secretary confirms

The US Treasury has finalized a $20 billion financial rescue of Argentina, including a currency swap arrangement with the country's central bank.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Outbreak News Today @outbreaknews.bsky.social · 5d

France: Local chikungunya cases top 700
open.substack.com/pub/outbreak...

France: Local chikungunya cases top 700

As of October 6, 2025, 87 outbreaks of indigenous vector-borne transmission of chikungunya and dengue fever and a total of 737 cases have been identified in mainland France:

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Alain Kohl

Outbreak News Today @outbreaknews.bsky.social · 5d

France: Local chikungunya cases top 700
open.substack.com/pub/outbreak...

France: Local chikungunya cases top 700

As of October 6, 2025, 87 outbreaks of indigenous vector-borne transmission of chikungunya and dengue fever and a total of 737 cases have been identified in mainland France:

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Alain Kohl

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 5d

I spoke to @melodyschreiber.com @theguardian.com along with @pauloffit.bsky.social & @jasonlschwartz.bsky.social about the MMR going monovalent.

We all agree: following Andrew Wakefield's advice to "break up the vaccines" is unnecessary, pointless, & will only prevent kids from getting vaccinated

HELLody SchreiBOO @melodyschreiber.com · 5d

"If a vaccine is sitting on a shelf and not going into somebody’s arm, then it’s worthless, essentially," @angierasmussen.bsky.social said.

"I think anti-vaxxers love vaccines that sit on shelves.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Alarm as CDC calls for separate MMR vaccines despite measles outbreak

Concerns that three separate shots would be more costly and time-consuming, and keep kids from being vaccinated

www.theguardian.com

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Oded Rechavi @odedrechavi.bsky.social · 4d

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 5d

They’re concerned about people getting out of the US already? Faster than I thought it would happen.

Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 5d

From the people who claim there’s a reproducibility crisis.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d

RFK Jr on Tylenol and autism: "It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof."

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 5d

“A study, published on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that last season’s 2024–2025 mRNA COVID vaccines reduced people’s risk of emergency department visits by 29%, their risk of hospitalizations by 39% & their risk of death by 64%”

Benefits were seen even if 0 risk factors

Soren Larsen (SEGL) @sorenlarsen.bsky.social · 5d

Annual COVID Vaccines Protect People against Severe Disease, Even with Prior Immunity

"The new research also “calls into question the idea that younger individuals and those without risk factors don’t need the vaccine,” Viswanathan says."

Annual COVID Vaccines Save Lives, New Study Shows

A new study shows that receiving an updated COVID vaccine reduced people’s risk of severe disease and death in all age groups, regardless of immunity from prior infection or vaccination

www.scientificamerican.com

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Ewan Birney @ewanbirney.bsky.social · 5d

A reminder that the PhD program for EMBL is open for winter recruitment round. If you want to understand life at a molecular level and have a quantitative science (you don't have to have done biology - we love our mathematicians/physcists/chemists!) apply www.embl.org/about/info/e...

Application – EMBL International PhD Programme

www.embl.org

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 6d

The alphafold for behavioural scientists?

Science Magazine @science.org · 6d

For behavioral scientists struggling to recruit enough subjects for their studies, #AI offers a tantalizing solution: artificial “participants” that can stand in for real people.

But a new preprint calls for caution before researchers make the leap. https://scim.ag/42myIdg

AI-generated ‘participants’ can lead social science experiments astray, study finds

Data produced by “silicon samples” depends on researchers’ exact choice of models, prompts, and settings

scim.ag

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 6d

Which is exactly why you should think of clear figures and layout that are understandable from any angle 😀

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 6d

I agree. Give this a bit of time over the coming days.

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Science Magazine @science.org · 7d

A new generation of radiotherapies promises a more targeted attack on cancer.

Learn more: https://scim.ag/3IwH8YW

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Jason Rasgon @vectorgen.bsky.social · 7d

Very sad. I just gave a lecture last week on the history of animal cloning and John came up a bunch

Katherine Brown @katherine-brown.bsky.social · 7d

Very saddened to hear of John Gurdon’s passing. I’ve been lucky enough to interact with him at multiple points through my career - from undergrad lectures, through his position as former Chair of @biologists.bsky.social’s Board of Directors, and as an author at @dev-journal.bsky.social.

Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92

It is with great sadness that the University shares the news of the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon, founder of the Gurdon Institute.

www.cam.ac.uk

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Alain Kohl @alainkohlvirology.bsky.social · 7d

Although I do remember the shock and horror when Cameron and Clegg had to form a coalition….but yes a critical time for Europe as well as France this clown show needs to end.

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European Commission @ec.europa.eu · 7d

🇪🇺🤝🇯🇵

The EU and Japan are strengthening research & innovation ties.

Talks on Japan’s association to #HorizonEurope will conclude by end-2025.

By sharing our talent and technology, we’ll drive breakthroughs in climate, energy, mobility, digital, industry, space & health.

link.europa.eu/YFYdGg

A traditional Japanese temple and red bridge surrounded by autumn trees, symbolizing EU–Japan cooperation. The EU and Japan flags appear in the centre, with the text: “EU–Japan: Strengthening Research Ties through Horizon Europe

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Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 7d

I wrote a thing about how this split the MMR up into monovalents is bullshit that Andrew Wakefield cooked up. It will be used to strip access to the MMR.

The MAHA movement continues to destroy public health.

open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...

The Monovalent Mirage

A pretend alternative to the MMR exists, just ask Andrew Wakefield

open.substack.com

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Oded Rechavi @odedrechavi.bsky.social · 7d

Fwd: Fwd: “I hope this email finds you well”

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Connor Bamford @connorggbamford.bsky.social · 9d

🦠 "Social Virology at the Tri-Kingdom Interface in Birds and Mammals" 🐥

We have a new 4y (open to intl students) PhD project advertised through the NorthWestBio Doctoral Training Partnership (lnkd.in/ee8hRpN6 ) between QUBelfast and Lancaster on virus-bacterial interactions across vertebrates!

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