The SARS-CoV Ferret Model in an Infection-challenge Study

Overview

Journal Virology

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2008 Feb 1

PMID 18234270

Citations 71

Authors

Yong-Kyu Chu

Georgia D Ali

Fuli Jia

Qianjun Li

David Kelvin

Ronald C Couch

Kevin S Harrod

Julie A Hutt

Cheryl Cameron

Susan R Weiss

Colleen B Jonsson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Phase I human clinical studies involving therapeutics for emerging and biodefense pathogens with low incidence, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), requires at a minimum preclinical evaluation of efficacy in two well-characterized and robust animal models. Thus, a ferret SARS-CoV model was evaluated over a period of 58 days following extensive optimization and characterization of the model in order to validate clinical, histopathological, virological and immunological endpoints. Ferrets that were infected intranasally with 10(3) TCID50 SARS-CoV showed higher body temperature (2-6 d.p.i.), sneezing (5-10 d.p.i.), lesions (5-7 d.p.i.) and decreased WBC/lymphocytes (2-5 d.p.i.). SARS-CoV was detected up to 7 d.p.i. in various tissues and excreta, while neutralizing antibody titers rose at 7 d.p.i. and peaked at 14 d.p.i. At 29 d.p.i., one group was challenged with 10(3) TCID50 SARS-CoV, and an anamnestic response in neutralizing antibodies was evident with no detectable virus. This study supports the validity of the ferret model for use in evaluating efficacy of potential therapeutics to treat SARS.

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