Protection against reinfection with D614- or G614-SARS-CoV-2 isolates in golden Syrian hamster. Issue 1 (1st January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brustolin, Marco; Rodon, Jordi; Rodríguez de la Concepción, María Luisa; Ávila-Nieto, Carlos; Cantero, Guillermo; Pérez, Mónica; Te, Nigeer; Noguera-Julián, Marc; Guallar, Víctor; Valencia, Alfonso; Roca, Núria; Izquierdo-Useros, Nuria; Blanco, Julià; Clotet, Bonaventura; Bensaid, Albert; Carrillo, Jorge; Vergara-Alert, Júlia; Segalés, Joaquim
• Is Part Of: Emerging microbes & infections. Volume 10:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 797
• Page End: 809
• Publication Date: 2021-01-01
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2 -- golden Syrian hamster -- animal model -- infection -- re-infection -- protection -- viral variants; Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 616.9041
• DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1913974
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2222-1751

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Reinfections with SARS-CoV-2 have already been documented in humans, although its real incidence is currently unknown. Besides having a great impact on public health, this phenomenon raises the question of immunity generated by a single infection is sufficient to provide sterilizing/protective immunity to a subsequent SARS-CoV-2 re-exposure. The Golden Syrian hamster is a manageable animal model to explore immunological mechanisms able to counteract COVID-19, as it recapitulates pathological aspects of mild to moderately affected patients. Here, we report that SARS-CoV-2-inoculated hamsters resolve infection in the upper and lower respiratory tracts within seven days upon inoculation with the Cat01 (G614) SARS-CoV-2 isolate. Three weeks after the primary challenge, and despite high titres of neutralizing antibodies, half of the animals were susceptible to reinfection by both identical (Cat01, G614) and variant (WA/1, D614) SARS-CoV-2 isolates. However, upon re-inoculation, only nasal tissues were transiently infected with much lower viral replication than those observed after the first inoculation. These data indicate that a primary SARS-CoV-2 infection is not sufficient to elicit a sterilizing immunity in hamster models but protects against lung disease.