title: Comparative live bioluminescence imaging of monkeypox virus dissemination in a wild-derived inbred mouse (Mus musculus castaneus) and outbred African dormouse (Graphiurus kelleni).
abstract: Monkeypox virus belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus, infects rodents and monkeys in Africa, produces a smallpox-like zoonotic disease in humans, and has the potential for global spread and exploitation for bioterrorism. Several small animal models for studying monkeypox virus pathogenesis have been investigated. The African dormouse is a candidate natural host but is outbred and no immunological reagents exist. Although not a natural host, the CAST/EiJ mouse is inbred and animals and reagents are commercially available. We compared the dissemination of monkeypox virus by bioluminescence imaging in CAST/EiJ mice and dormice. In CAST/EiJ mice, intense replication occurred at the intranasal site of inoculation and virus spread rapidly to lungs and abdominal organs, which had a lower virus burden. Compared to CAST/EiJ mice, dormice exhibited a greater variation of virus spread, a slower time course, less replication in the head and chest, and more replication in abdominal organs prior to death.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Earl
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Americo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States. Electronic address: bmoss@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D045908:Mpox, Monkeypox / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D008993:Monkeypox virus / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D046330:Myoxidae; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014774:Virulence
keywords: Animal models; Monkeypox virus pathogenesis; Monkeypox virus virulence; Orthopoxviruses; Smallpox