Alterations in Blood Chemistry Levels Associated With Nipah Virus Disease in the Syrian Hamster Model

Abstract

Nipah virus (NiV; family Paramyxoviridae, genus Henipavirus) infection can cause severe respiratory and neurological disease in humans. The pathophysiology of disease is not fully understood, and it may vary by presentation and clinical course. In this study, we investigate changes in blood chemistry in NiV-infected Syrian hamsters that survived or succumbed to disease. Increased sodium and magnesium and decreased albumin and lactate levels were detected in animals euthanized with severe clinical disease compared with mock-infected controls. When subjects were grouped by clinical syndrome, additional trends were discernable, highlighting changes associated with either respiratory or neurological disease.

Keywords: Nipah virus; Syrian hamster; blood; neurological; respiratory.

Figure 1.

Alterations in blood chemistry in terminal Nipah virus (NiV)-infected animals. Age-matched female Syrian hamsters were mock-infected (Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium only, circles; n = 13 for Metlac 12 analytes or n = 19 for General Chemistry 13 analytes) or infected with NiV-Malaysia (n = 49–55, triangles). Samples from mock-infected controls and NiV-infected animals that were euthanized due to severe disease, regardless of route (intranasal or intraperitoneal), dose (10³–10⁷ 50% tissue culture infective dose [TCID₅₀]), or virus stock (wild-type or recombinant), were analyzed using the Piccolo General Chemistry 13 (plasma) or Metlac 12 (whole blood) reagent discs. Individual values and median (red bar) are depicted.*, P < .01; **, P < .001; ***, P < .0001. ALB, albumin; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AMY, amylase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; Ca, total calcium; Cl⁻, chloride; CRE, creatinine; GLU, blood glucose; K⁺, potassium; LAC, lactate; Mg, magnesium; Na⁺, sodium; PHOS, phosphorus; tCO₂, total carbon dioxide; TP, total protein.

Figure 2.

Alterations in blood chemistry in NiV-infected hamsters euthanized with respiratory or neurological disease and in survivors. Age-matched female Syrian hamsters were mock-infected (Dulbecco’s days post infection modified Eagle’s medium only, circles; n = 13 for Metlac 12 analytes or n = 19 for General Chemistry 13 analytes) or infected with NiV-Malaysia and followed for up to 28 days post infection. Samples collected at euthanasia were analyzed using the Piccolo General Chemistry 13 (plasma) or Metlac 12 (whole blood) reagent discs. NiV-infected hamsters were grouped based on clinical presentation at time of euthanasia (respiratory [n = 21, inverted triangles] or neurological [n = 36, triangles]) or as survivors (n = 34, diamonds). Subjects with both respiratory and neurological signs were excluded from analyses (n = 5). Individual values and median (red bar) are depicted. *, P < .01; **, P < .001; ***, P < .0001. ALB, albumin; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AMY, amylase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; Ca, total calcium; Cl⁻, chloride; CRE, creatinine; GLU, blood glucose; K⁺, potassium; LAC, lactate; Mg, magnesium; Na⁺, sodium; PHOS, phosphorus; tCO₂, total carbon dioxide; TP, total protein.