Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Jun 21, 2024 22:00:52 GMT
SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters and humans results in lasting and unique systemic perturbations after recovery - Published June 7, 2022
Characterizing long COVID
As millions of people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and have subsequently recovered, a subset of these individuals has continued to experience chronic pathologies collectively called “long COVID.” Here, Frere et al. characterized the short- and long-term changes to multiple organs in hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2; influenza A virus was used as a comparator respiratory pathogen. The authors observed sustained changes in the lungs, kidney, olfactory bulb, and olfactory epithelium that were specific to hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. Many of these changes were corroborated using samples from humans who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. These data provide insight into the drivers of long COVID.
Abstract
The host response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can result in prolonged pathologies collectively referred to as post-acute sequalae of COVID-19 (PASC) or long COVID. To better understand the mechanism underlying long COVID biology, we compared the short- and long-term systemic responses in the golden hamster after either SARS-CoV-2 or influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Results demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 exceeded IAV in its capacity to cause permanent injury to the lung and kidney and uniquely affected the olfactory bulb (OB) and olfactory epithelium (OE). Despite a lack of detectable infectious virus, the OB and OE demonstrated myeloid and T cell activation, proinflammatory cytokine production, and an interferon response that correlated with behavioral changes extending a month after viral clearance. These sustained transcriptional changes could also be corroborated from tissue isolated from individuals who recovered from COVID-19. These data highlight a molecular mechanism for persistent COVID-19 symptomology and provide a small animal model to explore future therapeutics.
Characterizing long COVID
As millions of people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and have subsequently recovered, a subset of these individuals has continued to experience chronic pathologies collectively called “long COVID.” Here, Frere et al. characterized the short- and long-term changes to multiple organs in hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2; influenza A virus was used as a comparator respiratory pathogen. The authors observed sustained changes in the lungs, kidney, olfactory bulb, and olfactory epithelium that were specific to hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. Many of these changes were corroborated using samples from humans who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. These data provide insight into the drivers of long COVID.
Abstract
The host response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can result in prolonged pathologies collectively referred to as post-acute sequalae of COVID-19 (PASC) or long COVID. To better understand the mechanism underlying long COVID biology, we compared the short- and long-term systemic responses in the golden hamster after either SARS-CoV-2 or influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Results demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 exceeded IAV in its capacity to cause permanent injury to the lung and kidney and uniquely affected the olfactory bulb (OB) and olfactory epithelium (OE). Despite a lack of detectable infectious virus, the OB and OE demonstrated myeloid and T cell activation, proinflammatory cytokine production, and an interferon response that correlated with behavioral changes extending a month after viral clearance. These sustained transcriptional changes could also be corroborated from tissue isolated from individuals who recovered from COVID-19. These data highlight a molecular mechanism for persistent COVID-19 symptomology and provide a small animal model to explore future therapeutics.