title: Clinical laboratory, virologic, and pathologic changes in hamsters experimentally infected with Pirital virus (Arenaviridae): a rodent model of Lassa fever.
abstract: The clinical laboratory, virologic, and pathologic changes occurring in hamsters after infection with Pirital virus (Arenaviridae) are described. Pirital virus infection in the hamsters was characterized by high titered viremia, leukocytosis, coagulopathy, pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, hepatocellular and splenic necrosis, and marked elevation of serum transaminase levels. All of the animals died within 9 days. The clinical and histopathological findings in the Pirital virus-infected hamsters were very similar to those reported in severe human cases of Lassa fever, suggesting that this new animal model could serve as a low-cost and relatively safe alternative for studying the pathogenesis and therapy of Lassa fever.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, 77555-0609, USA.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sbrana
authors.forename: Rosa I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.forename: Shu-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Vsevolod L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Popov
authors.forename: Patrick C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Tesh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001117:Arenaviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D006477:Arenaviruses, New World / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007835:Lassa Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D014766:Viremia / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology