Transient Lymphopenia and Interstitial Pneumonia With Endotheliitis in SARS-CoV-2-Infected Macaques

J Infect Dis. 2020 Oct 13;222(10):1596-1600. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa486.

Abstract

Using a reliable primate model is critical for developing therapeutic advances to treat humans infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we exposed macaques to high titers of SARS-CoV-2 via combined transmission routes. We observed acute interstitial pneumonia with endotheliitis in the lungs of all infected macaques. All macaques had a significant loss of total lymphocytes during infection, which were restored over time. These data show that SARS-CoV-2 causes a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-like disease in macaques. This new model could investigate the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the immune system to test therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; lymphopenia; macaques; pneumonia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Betacoronavirus / genetics*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Female
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / complications*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / pathology
  • Lymphopenia / complications*
  • Lymphopenia / pathology
  • Macaca fascicularis
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Male
  • Monkey Diseases / pathology
  • Monkey Diseases / virology*
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • SARS-CoV-2