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Virology Down Under

Facts, data, info, expert opinion and a reasonable, occasionally grumpy, voice on viruses: what they are, how they tick and the illnesses they may cause.

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Measles takes your immune memories

Measles takes your immune memories

Acute measles virus (MeV) infection can be serious You may have heard that the United States is having a multistate outbreak of MeV infections, mainly causing its worst outcomes among Read More ...

A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells

A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells

Here’s a measles infographic prepared using a range of sources and some feedback from the public. It aims to present measles symptoms and the levels of the virus and white Read More ...

The US 2024-2025 flu season and the vaccine

The United States has been having one of its biggest influenza (flu) years. Let’s look at how this season’s northern hemisphere flu vaccine, which most Americans most likely didn’t seek Read More ...

What if Harvard loses?

What if Harvard loses?

The prestigious Ivy League private university has taken a stand against the Trump administration’s demands. Briefly (see the link above for full details), these set out a list that aims Read More ...

19th April Harvard webpage landing page snippet

What if Harvard loses?

Posted onApril 19, 2025April 23, 2025Leave a comment

The prestigious Ivy League private university has taken a stand against the Trump administration’s demands. Briefly (see the link above for full details), these set out a list that aims Read More …

CategoriesUncategorized

Measles takes your immune memories

Posted onApril 9, 2025April 9, 2025Leave a comment

Acute measles virus (MeV) infection can be serious You may have heard that the United States is having a multistate outbreak of MeV infections, mainly causing its worst outcomes among Read More …

CategoriesImmunology, Measles, Vaccines & vaccinationTagsImmune amnesia

A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells

Posted onMarch 27, 2025April 3, 2025

Here’s a measles infographic prepared using a range of sources and some feedback from the public. It aims to present measles symptoms and the levels of the virus and white Read More …

CategoriesCommunication, MeaslesTagsInfographic

United States influenza: biggest season in 15 years of data

Posted onFebruary 18, 2025February 25, 2025

The United States has been suffering from many influenza virus infections. And it looks like those are translating into a “flunami” of hospitalisations, which has resulted in the US CDC Read More …

CategoriesInfluenzaTagsflunami

eggs in rows in carton container

No new A/H7N8 chook farms hit in Victoria so far

Posted onFebruary 17, 2025February 17, 2025

Two poultry farms in the southern Australian State of Victoria have been quarantined for high pathogenicity avian influenza A/H7N8 infections, but spread to additional farms has not been observed so Read More …

CategoriesInfluenza, Outbreak

The US 2024-2025 flu season and the vaccine

Posted onFebruary 13, 2025February 13, 2025

The United States has been having one of its biggest influenza (flu) years. Let’s look at how this season’s northern hemisphere flu vaccine, which most Americans most likely didn’t seek Read More …

CategoriesUncategorized

An illustration of a spherical RSV virion.

A good news RSV vaccine story for adults

Posted onFebruary 5, 2025February 5, 2025

An overview of a new study in adults showing the Abrysvo respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine preventing lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by RSV infection among older adults, a Read More …

CategoriesRSV, Vaccines & vaccination

cute pig sitting in barn

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia – a 2022 study and the current state

Posted onJanuary 29, 2025February 19, 2025

A brief overview of a report describing the 2022 discovery of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia. This was the first local outbreak in southern Australia and set the stage Read More …

CategoriesArbovirus, JEV, Mosquito

people in facial mask standing on sidewalk

Not the “Chinese flu” label thing again…please

Posted onJanuary 6, 2025January 11, 2025

A few recent headlines have suggested something novel and infectious might be brewing among China’s children. But is it really novel? The hard-to-source headlines imply that we should be concerned. Read More …

CategoriesUncategorized

SNAPDATE: MPOX cases in Australia, 14.09.2024

Posted onSeptember 14, 2024October 19, 2024

MPOX, the disease resulting from Monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection, continues to rise rapidly in Australia, as elsewhere in the world. It is unclear if Australia has rolled out more of Read More …

CategoriesMPOX, Snapdate

body of water during golden hour

In Australia, COVID-19 deaths may have stopped decreasing

Posted onSeptember 6, 2024September 9, 20241 Comment

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) published excellent data on deaths due to or with COVID-19 in Australia from 2022 to July 2024. Deaths dropped between 2022 and 2023, but Read More …

CategoriesCOVID-19, EpidemicTagsDeaths

close up photo of survey spreadsheet

It takes a while to gather death data

Posted onSeptember 5, 2024September 5, 2024

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) published some excellent data on the sad topic of mortality (death) in Australia. In doing that, they nicely defined why it takes patience to Read More …

CategoriesCOVID-19, Data

Update on Monkeypox virus (MPXV) transmission in Australia

Posted onAugust 6, 2024August 6, 2024

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) causes MPOX. A ‘global outbreak’ of infections and disease became noticeable in 2022. The MPOX outbreak continues, and below is an update on the ongoing MPOX cases Read More …

CategoriesMPOXTagsDemocratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, MPXV

More PCR cycles don’t mean magic results

Posted onAugust 5, 2024February 13, 2025

The quote below has been circulated for a while, amplified by those with no PCR understanding. Its focus is to make you believe that too many PCR cycles create false Read More …

CategoriesCOVID-19, Debunking, PCRTagsPCR

words in dictionary

Stop Hijacking Definitions To Farm Anger And Clicks!

Posted onDecember 29, 2023February 9, 2025

It’s a funny old time to be a scientist. Advances are being made as ever, and new knowledge around airborne virus infection and transmission is accruing like never before. Not Read More …

CategoriesCommunication, COVID-19, Definition

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Recent Posts

  • What if Harvard loses? April 19, 2025
  • Measles takes your immune memories April 9, 2025
  • A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells March 27, 2025
  • United States influenza: biggest season in 15 years of data February 18, 2025
  • No new A/H7N8 chook farms hit in Victoria so far February 17, 2025
  • The US 2024-2025 flu season and the vaccine February 13, 2025
  • A good news RSV vaccine story for adults February 5, 2025
  • Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia – a 2022 study and the current state January 29, 2025
  • Not the “Chinese flu” label thing again…please January 6, 2025
  • SNAPDATE: MPOX cases in Australia, 14.09.2024 September 14, 2024
  • In Australia, COVID-19 deaths may have stopped decreasing September 6, 2024
  • It takes a while to gather death data September 5, 2024
  • Update on Monkeypox virus (MPXV) transmission in Australia August 6, 2024
  • More PCR cycles don’t mean magic results August 5, 2024
  • Stop Hijacking Definitions To Farm Anger And Clicks! December 29, 2023

All opinions are my own and do not represent medical advice or the views of any institution.

All graphics made by me are free-to-use. Please just cite the particular page, blog and me. A heads-up would be nice, but that can happen later.

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  • Kai Kupferschmidt
  • Martin Enserink
  • EpiRamblings

 

Recent Posts

  • What if Harvard loses?
  • Measles takes your immune memories
  • A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells
  • United States influenza: biggest season in 15 years of data
  • No new A/H7N8 chook farms hit in Victoria so far

All opinions are my own and do not represent medical advice or the views of any institution.

All graphics made by me are free-to-use. Please just cite the particular page, blog and me. A heads-up would be nice too but that can happen later.

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Twitter: @mackayim

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Virology Down Under

Facts, data, info, expert opinion and a reasonable, occasionally grumpy, voice on viruses: what they are, how they tick and the illnesses they may cause.

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