Intratracheal exposure of common marmosets to MERS-CoV Jordan-n3/2012 or MERS-CoV EMC/2012 isolates does not result in lethal disease.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continues to be a threat to human health in the Middle East. Development of countermeasures is ongoing; however, an animal model that faithfully recapitulates human disease has yet to be defined. A recent study indicated that inoculation of common marmosets resulted in inconsistent lethality. Based on these data we sought to compare two isolates of MERS-CoV. We followed disease progression in common marmosets after intratracheal exposure with: MERS-CoV-EMC/2012, MERS-CoV-Jordan-n3/2012, media, or inactivated virus. Our data suggest that common marmosets developed a mild to moderate non-lethal respiratory disease, which was quantifiable by computed tomography (CT), with limited other clinical signs. Based on CT data, clinical data, and virological data, MERS-CoV inoculation of common marmosets results in mild to moderate clinical signs of disease that are likely due to manipulations of the marmoset rather than as a result of robust viral replication.
Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States. Electronic address: johnsonreed@mail.nih.gov.
Reed F
RF
Johnson
Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Laura E
LE
Via
Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Mia R
MR
Kumar
Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Joseph P
JP
Cornish
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Srikanth
S
Yellayi
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Louis
L
Huzella
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Elena
E
Postnikova
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Nicholas
N
Oberlander
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Christopher
C
Bartos
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Britini L
BL
Ork
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Steven
S
Mazur
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Cindy
C
Allan
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Michael R
MR
Holbrook
Center for Infectious Disease Imaging, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Jeffrey
J
Solomon
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Joshua C
JC
Johnson
Transgenic Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
James
J
Pickel
Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Lisa E
LE
Hensley
Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States; Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States.
Peter B
PB
Jahrling
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001706:Biopsy; D002144:Callithrix; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000502:physiology*; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014709:Vero Cells
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral
Animal model; Coronavirus; MERS; MERS-CoV; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome; Nonhuman primate