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Review
. 2021 Jul;68(4):1868-1885.
doi: 10.1111/tbed.13907. Epub 2020 Dec 20.

Animal models for SARS-CoV-2 research: A comprehensive literature review

Kabita Pandey  1   2 , Arpan Acharya  1 , Mahesh Mohan  3 , Caroline L Ng  2 , St Patrick Reid  2 , Siddappa N Byrareddy  1   4   5
Affiliations
Review

Animal models for SARS-CoV-2 research: A comprehensive literature review

Kabita Pandey et al. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases can create devastating effects on human lives and may also lead to economic crises. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic due to the novel coronavirus (nCoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which originated in Wuhan, China, has caused a global public health emergency. To date, the molecular mechanism of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, its clinical manifestations and pathogenesis is not completely understood. The global scientific community has intensified its efforts in understanding the biology of SARS-CoV-2 for development of vaccines and therapeutic interventions to prevent the rapid spread of the virus and to control mortality and morbidity associated with COVID-19. To understand the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2, appropriate animal models that mimic the biology of human SARS-CoV-2 infection are urgently needed. In this review, we outline animal models that have been used to study previous human coronaviruses (HCoVs), including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Importantly, we discuss models that are appropriate for SARS-CoV-2 as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various available methods.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; animal model; ferret; hamster; macaque; mice; pathophysiology.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS

Authors declared no conflict of interest exists.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from main reservoir to humans. Bats are the main reservoirs for many other coronaviruses. SARS-CoV-2 may have originated from bats and with the help of unknown intermediate hosts have contributed to human-to-human transmission
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Utility of small and large animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection ad pathogenesis. The possible use of animal models in SARS-CoV-2 infection has been described
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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