tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Zool Res
. 2020 Jul 23;1-5.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.053. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19-like symptoms observed in the Chinese tree shrews infected with SARS-CoV-2
Ling Xu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Dan-Dan Yu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yu-Hua Ma[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yu-Lin Yao[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Rong-Hua Luo[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Xiao-Li Feng[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hou-Rong Cai[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Jian-Bao Han[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Xue-Hui Wang[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Ming-Hua Li[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Chang-Wen Ke[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Yong-Tang Zheng[SUP] 1 2 7 [/SUP], Yong-Gang Yao[SUP] 1 3 4 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a global threat to the human population. Identifying animal species susceptible to infection with the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 / HCoV-19 is essential for controlling the outbreak and for testing valid prophylactics or therapeutics based on animal model studies. The Chinese tree shrews of different ages (adult group, 1-year old; old group, 5-6 years old), which are close relatives to primates, were infected with SARS-CoV-2. The X-ray tests, viral shedding, laboratory assessments, histological analysis were performed at different days post-inoculation (dpi). We found that the Chinese tree shrews can be infected by SARS-CoV-2. Lung infiltrates were visible in X-ray radiographs in most of the infected animals. Viral RNA could be consistently detected in lung tissues from infected animals at 3, 5 and 7 dpi, along with alterations of related parameters from blood routine tests and serum biochemistry, including increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Histological analysis for lung tissues from animals at 3 dpi (adult group) and 7 dpi (old group) showed thickened alveolar septa and interstitial hemorrhage. There were some differences regarding the peak of viral shedding in the two groups of different ages. Our results indicate that the Chinese tree shrews have the potential to be used as animal models for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Keywords: Animal Model; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 / HCoV-19; Susceptibility; Tree shrew.
. 2020 Jul 23;1-5.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.053. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19-like symptoms observed in the Chinese tree shrews infected with SARS-CoV-2
Ling Xu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Dan-Dan Yu[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yu-Hua Ma[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yu-Lin Yao[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Rong-Hua Luo[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Xiao-Li Feng[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hou-Rong Cai[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Jian-Bao Han[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Xue-Hui Wang[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Ming-Hua Li[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Chang-Wen Ke[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Yong-Tang Zheng[SUP] 1 2 7 [/SUP], Yong-Gang Yao[SUP] 1 3 4 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32701249
- DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.053
Abstract
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a global threat to the human population. Identifying animal species susceptible to infection with the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 / HCoV-19 is essential for controlling the outbreak and for testing valid prophylactics or therapeutics based on animal model studies. The Chinese tree shrews of different ages (adult group, 1-year old; old group, 5-6 years old), which are close relatives to primates, were infected with SARS-CoV-2. The X-ray tests, viral shedding, laboratory assessments, histological analysis were performed at different days post-inoculation (dpi). We found that the Chinese tree shrews can be infected by SARS-CoV-2. Lung infiltrates were visible in X-ray radiographs in most of the infected animals. Viral RNA could be consistently detected in lung tissues from infected animals at 3, 5 and 7 dpi, along with alterations of related parameters from blood routine tests and serum biochemistry, including increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Histological analysis for lung tissues from animals at 3 dpi (adult group) and 7 dpi (old group) showed thickened alveolar septa and interstitial hemorrhage. There were some differences regarding the peak of viral shedding in the two groups of different ages. Our results indicate that the Chinese tree shrews have the potential to be used as animal models for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Keywords: Animal Model; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 / HCoV-19; Susceptibility; Tree shrew.