tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Microbiol Spectr
. 2022 Feb 23;10(1):e0236221.
doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02362-21. Epub 2022 Feb 23.
Dynamic Changes of the Blood Chemistry in Syrian Hamsters Post-Acute COVID-19
Chi-Ju Hsu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Wen-Chin Lin[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Yu-Ching Chou[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Chuen-Mi Yang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hsueh-Ling Wu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yun-Hsiang Cheng[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ping-Cheng Liu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jia-Yu Chang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hsing-Yu Chen[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Jun-Ren Sun[SUP] 1 2 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 are not fully understood. We aimed to determine the long-term lung pathology and blood chemistry changes in Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were inoculated with 10[SUP]5[/SUP] PFU of SARS-CoV-2, and changes post-infection (pi) were observed for 20 days. On days 5 and 20 pi, the lungs were harvested and processed for pathology and viral load count. Multiple blood samples were collected every 3 to 5 days to observe dynamic changes in blood chemistry. Infected hamsters showed consistent weight loss until day 7 pi At day 5 pi, histopathology of the lungs showed moderate to severe inflammation and the virus could be detected. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 has an acute onset and recovery course in the hamster infection model. During the acute onset, blood triglyceride levels increased significantly at day 3 pi During the recovery course, uric acid and low-density lipoprotein levels increased significantly, but the total protein and albumin levels decreased. Together, our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters not only causes lung damage but also causes long-term changes in blood biochemistry during the recovery process. IMPORTANCE COVID-19 is now considered a multiorgan disease with a wide range of manifestations. There are increasing reports of persistent and long-term effects after acute COVID-19, but the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 are not fully understood. This study reported for the first time the use of blood samples collected continuously in a SARS-CoV-2-infected hamster model, which provides more information about the dynamic changes in blood biochemistry during the acute and recovery phases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters not only causes lung damage but also causes long-term changes in blood biochemistry during the recovery process. The study may be used by several researchers and clinicians, especially those who are studying potential treatments for patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; blood chemistry; hamster.
. 2022 Feb 23;10(1):e0236221.
doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02362-21. Epub 2022 Feb 23.
Dynamic Changes of the Blood Chemistry in Syrian Hamsters Post-Acute COVID-19
Chi-Ju Hsu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Wen-Chin Lin[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Yu-Ching Chou[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Chuen-Mi Yang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hsueh-Ling Wu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yun-Hsiang Cheng[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ping-Cheng Liu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jia-Yu Chang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hsing-Yu Chen[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Jun-Ren Sun[SUP] 1 2 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35196799
- DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02362-21
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 are not fully understood. We aimed to determine the long-term lung pathology and blood chemistry changes in Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were inoculated with 10[SUP]5[/SUP] PFU of SARS-CoV-2, and changes post-infection (pi) were observed for 20 days. On days 5 and 20 pi, the lungs were harvested and processed for pathology and viral load count. Multiple blood samples were collected every 3 to 5 days to observe dynamic changes in blood chemistry. Infected hamsters showed consistent weight loss until day 7 pi At day 5 pi, histopathology of the lungs showed moderate to severe inflammation and the virus could be detected. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 has an acute onset and recovery course in the hamster infection model. During the acute onset, blood triglyceride levels increased significantly at day 3 pi During the recovery course, uric acid and low-density lipoprotein levels increased significantly, but the total protein and albumin levels decreased. Together, our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters not only causes lung damage but also causes long-term changes in blood biochemistry during the recovery process. IMPORTANCE COVID-19 is now considered a multiorgan disease with a wide range of manifestations. There are increasing reports of persistent and long-term effects after acute COVID-19, but the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 are not fully understood. This study reported for the first time the use of blood samples collected continuously in a SARS-CoV-2-infected hamster model, which provides more information about the dynamic changes in blood biochemistry during the acute and recovery phases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters not only causes lung damage but also causes long-term changes in blood biochemistry during the recovery process. The study may be used by several researchers and clinicians, especially those who are studying potential treatments for patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; blood chemistry; hamster.