Detailed analysis of the pathologic hallmarks of Nipah virus (Malaysia) disease in the African green monkey infected by the intratracheal route

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 10;17(2):e0263834. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263834. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Disease associated with Nipah virus infection causes a devastating and often fatal spectrum of syndromes predominated by both respiratory and neurologic conditions. Additionally, neurologic sequelae may manifest months to years later after virus exposure or apparent recovery. In the two decades since this disease emerged, much work has been completed in an attempt to understand the pathogenesis and facilitate development of medical countermeasures. Here we provide detailed organ system-specific pathologic findings following exposure of four African green monkeys to 2.41×105 pfu of the Malaysian strain of Nipah virus. Our results further substantiate the African green monkey as a model of human Nipah virus disease, by demonstrating both the respiratory and neurologic components of disease. Additionally, we demonstrate that a chronic phase of disease exists in this model, that may provide an important opportunity to study the enigmatic late onset and relapse encephalitis as it is described in human disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Encephalitis, Viral / pathology*
  • Henipavirus Infections / pathology*
  • Lung Diseases / pathology
  • Lung Diseases / virology*
  • Malaysia
  • Male
  • Nipah Virus / classification
  • Nipah Virus / pathogenicity*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by AI57158 (Northeast Biodefense Center) and performed under USAMRIID project number 1882367. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.