Podcast summary
TWiV 1325: Sticky flu with Hannah Rowe
Bacteria can boost flu transmission via attachment
Influenza transmission is not determined only by host and viral traits: respiratory bacteria can physically bind influenza and stabilize virions in air, extending infectivity without changing viral replication.
Lipoteichoic acid links influenza and pneumococcus
A specific bacterial surface component, lipoteichoic acid, appears to mediate attachment of influenza particles, with both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase engaging; this creates a virus–bacteria complex rather than nonspecific sticking.
Bacterial enzymes can either preserve or kill virions
Pneumococcus can stabilize influenza by slowing desiccation-mediated infectivity loss, but its hydrogen-peroxide production can also damage virions; other taxa like catalase-positive bacteria counteract this, shaping real-world outcomes.
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