Comparative pathogenesis of COVID-19, MERS, and SARS in a nonhuman primate model

Barry Rockx, Thijs Kuiken, Sander Herfst, Theo Bestebroer, Mart M. Lamers, Bas B. Oude Munnink, Dennis de Meulder, Geert van Amerongen, Judith van den Brand, Nisreen M. A. Okba, Debby Schipper, Peter van Run, Lonneke Leijten, Reina Sikkema, Ernst Verschoor, Babs Verstrepen, Willy Bogers, Jan Langermans, Christian Drosten, Martje Fentener van VlissingenRon Fouchier, Rik de Swart, Marion Koopmans, Bart L. Haagmans

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    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.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1012-1015
    JournalScience
    Volume368
    Issue number6494
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 29 May 2020

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