RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 SARS-CoV-2 infection induces protective immunity and limits transmission in Syrian hamsters
JF Life Science Alliance
JO Life Sci. Alliance
FD Life Science Alliance LLC
SP e202000886
DO 10.26508/lsa.202000886
VO 4
IS 4
A1 Prabhuanand Selvaraj
A1 Christopher Z Lien
A1 Shufeng Liu
A1 Charles B Stauft
A1 Ivette A Nunez
A1 Mario Hernandez
A1 Eric Nimako
A1 Mario A Ortega
A1 Matthew F Starost
A1 John U Dennis
A1 Tony T Wang
YR 2021
UL https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/4/4/e202000886.abstract
AB A critical question in understanding the immunity to SARS-COV-2 is whether recovered patients are protected against re-challenge and transmission upon second exposure. We developed a Syrian hamster model in which intranasal inoculation of just 100 TCID50 virus caused viral pneumonia. Aged hamsters developed more severe disease and even succumbed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, representing the first lethal model using genetically unmodified laboratory animals. After initial viral clearance, the hamsters were re-challenged with 105 TCID50 SARS-CoV-2 and displayed more than 4 log reduction in median viral loads in both nasal washes and lungs in comparison to primary infections. Most importantly, re-challenged hamsters were unable to transmit virus to naïve hamsters, and this was accompanied by the presence of neutralizing antibodies. Altogether, these results show that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces protective immunity that not only prevents re-exposure but also limits transmission in hamsters. These findings may help guide public health policies and vaccine development and aid evaluation of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.