ABSTRACT

Severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently causing a worldwide threat with its unusually high transmission rates and rapid evolution into diverse strains. Unlike typical respiratory viruses, SARS-CoV-2 frequently causes systemic infection by breaking the boundaries of the respiratory systems. The development of animal models recapitulating the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 is of utmost importance not only for the development of vaccines and antivirals but also for understanding the pathogenesis. However, there has not been developed an animal model for systemic infection of SARS-CoV-2 representing most aspects of the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 with systemic symptoms. Here we report that a Roborovski hamster strain SH101, a laboratory inbred hamster strain of P. roborovskii, displayed most symptoms of systemic infection upon SARS-CoV-2 infection as in the case of the human counterpart, unlike current COVID-19 animal models. Roborovski hamster strain SH101 post-infection of SARS-CoV-2 represented most clinical symptoms of COVID-19 such as snuffling, labored breathing, dyspnea, cough, hunched posture, progressive weight loss, ruffled fur, and high fever following shaking chills. Histological examinations also revealed initial right-predominated pneumonia as well as slight organ damages in the brain and liver, manifesting systemic COVID-19 cases. Considering the merit of a small animal as well as its clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human, this hamster model seems to provide an ideal tool to investigate COVID-19.

摘要

严重急性呼吸综合征 CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) 目前以其异常高的传播率和快速进化为多种毒株而造成全球性威胁。与典型的呼吸道病毒不同，SARS-CoV-2 经常通过打破呼吸系统的界限而引起全身感染。开发重现 COVID-19 临床表现的动物模型不仅对于疫苗和抗病毒药物的开发至关重要，而且对于了解发病机制也至关重要。然而，尚未开发出能够代表具有全身症状的 COVID-19 临床表现的大部分方面的 SARS-CoV-2 全身感染动物模型。在此，我们报道了 Roborovski 仓鼠品系 SH101（一种P. roborovskii的实验室近交仓鼠品系），与当前的 COVID-19 动物模型不同，在感染 SARS-CoV-2 后，与人类对应物一样，表现出大多数全身感染症状。感染 SARS-CoV-2 后的 Roborovski 仓鼠品系 SH101 代表了大多数 COVID-19 的临床症状，例如鼻塞、呼吸困难、呼吸困难、咳嗽、驼背、体重逐渐减轻、皮毛皱起以及寒战后的高烧。组织学检查还显示最初为右侧为主的肺炎以及大脑和肝脏的轻微器官损伤，表现为全身性 COVID-19 病例。考虑到小动物的优点及其在人类中感染 SARS-CoV-2 的临床表现，该仓鼠模型似乎为研究 COVID-19 提供了理想的工具。