TWiV 1343: Batting averages and stolen bases

Viral evolution and public health challenges define the current landscape of infectious disease dynamics. Research on bracoviruses reveals that parasitoid wasps domesticated ancestral nudivirus genes to create a specialized delivery vehicle for immunosuppressive factors, facilitating successful parasitism in caterpillar hosts. Meanwhile, Hendra virus spillover risk from flying foxes to horses and humans depends on seasonal fluctuations in viral load and prevalence, rather than prevalence alone, often exacerbated by climate-driven food scarcity. The discussion also addresses the resurgence of measles in the United States, linking record-high case numbers to declining vaccination rates and the erosion of public health leadership. These findings underscore the complex interplay between ecological factors, viral adaptation, and human policy in shaping the transmission and persistence of pathogens across species boundaries.