In Vivo Imaging of Nipah Virus Infection in Small Animal Rodent Models

Methods Mol Biol. 2023:2682:149-157. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3283-3_11.

Abstract

In vivo imaging system (IVIS) is a powerful tool for the study of infectious diseases, providing the ability to non-invasively follow viral infection in an individual animal over time. Recombinant henipaviruses expressing bioluminescent or fluorescent reporter proteins can be used both to monitor the spatial and temporal progression of Nipah virus (NiV) infection in vivo as well as in ex vivo tissues. Virally produced luciferases react with systemically administered substrate to produce bioluminescence that can then be detected via IVIS imaging, while fluorescent reporters inherently generate detectable fluorescence without a substrate. Here we describe protocols applying bioluminescent or fluorescent reporter expressing recombinant viruses to in vivo or ex vivo imaging of NiV infection.

Keywords: Fluorescence; In vivo imaging; Luminescence; Recombinant Nipah virus; Reporter genes; Rodent animal model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Coloring Agents
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Henipavirus Infections*
  • Models, Animal
  • Orthopoxvirus*

Substances

  • Coloring Agents