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Seminars
Kinetics of Virus Growth in Cells
John Yin
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Abstract
A brief history of modeling virus growth in cells. Challenges and opportunities for experimentalists and modelers to productively collaborate in this exciting and rapidly growing field.
The Total Number and Mass of SARS-CoV-2 Virions in an Infected Person
Ron Milo
Weizmann Institute of Science
Quantitatively describing the time course of the SARS-CoV-2 infection within an infected individual is important for understanding the current global pandemic and possible ways to combat it. Here we integrate the best current knowledge about the typical viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in bodily fluids and host tissues to estimate the total number and mass of SARS-CoV-2 virions in an infected person. We estimate that each infected person carries 109-1011 virions during peak infection, with a total mass in the range of 1 μg-0.1 mg, which curiously implies that all SARS-CoV-2 virions currently circulating within human hosts have a collective mass of only 0.1-10 kg. We combine our estimates with the available literature on host immune response and viral mutation rates to demonstrate how antibodies outnumber the spike proteins and the genetic diversity of virions in an infected host covers all possible single nucleotide substitutions.
If you found this video useful, please check out our other videos on computational modeling, infection and immunology: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiEtieOeWbMKh9VcQoinSwODcSZKMTGat
Please consider joining our IMAG/MSM WG on Multiscale Modeling and Viral Pandemics: https://www.imagwiki.nibib.nih.gov/content/msm-viral-pandemics-meetings
Please also consider joining the Global Alliance for Immune Prediction and Intervention: http://glimprint.org/