Comparative pathogenesis of COVID-19, MERS, and SARS in a nonhuman primate model
Publication date
2020-05-29
Authors
Rockx, Barry
Kuiken, Thijs
Herfst, Sander
Bestebroer, Theo
Lamers, Mart M.
Munnink, Bas B. Oude
de Meulder, Dennis
van Amerongen, Geert
van den Brand, Judith
Okba, Nisreen M. A.
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Abstract
The current pandemic coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was recently identified in patients with an acute respiratory syndrome, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To compare its pathogenesis with that of previously emerging coronaviruses, we inoculated cynomolgus macaques with SARS-CoV-2 or Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)–CoV and compared the pathology and virology with historical reports of SARS-CoV infections. In SARS-CoV-2–infected macaques, virus was excreted from nose and throat in the absence of clinical signs and detected in type I and II pneumocytes in foci of diffuse alveolar damage and in ciliated epithelial cells of nasal, bronchial, and bronchiolar mucosae. In SARS-CoV infection, lung lesions were typically more severe, whereas they were milder in MERS-CoV infection, where virus was detected mainly in type II pneumocytes. These data show that SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19–like disease in macaques and provides a new model to test preventive and therapeutic strategies.
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Rockx, B, Kuiken, T, Herfst, S, Bestebroer, T, Lamers, M M, Munnink, B B O, de Meulder, D, van Amerongen, G, van den Brand, J, Okba, N M A, Schipper, D, van Run, P, Leijten, L, Sikkema, R, Verschoor, E, Verstrepen, B, Bogers, W, Langermans, J, Drosten, C, van Vlissingen, M F, Fouchier, R, de Swart, R, Koopmans, M & Haagmans, B L 2020, 'Comparative pathogenesis of COVID-19, MERS, and SARS in a nonhuman primate model', Science, vol. 368, no. 6494, pp. 1012-1015. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb7314