Infection and rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in ferrets

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Title
Infection and rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in ferrets
Author(s)
Y I Kim; S G Kim; S M Kim; E H Kim; S J Park; K M Yu; J H Chang; E J Kim; S Lee; M A B Casel; J Um; M S Song; H W Jeong; V D Lai; Y Kim; B S Chin; J S Park; K H Chung; S S Foo; Haryoung Poo; I P Mo; O J Lee; R J Webby; J E Jung; Y K Choi
Bibliographic Citation
Cell Host & Microbe, vol. 27, pp. 704-709
Publication Year
2020
Abstract
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in China and rapidly spread worldwide. To prevent SARS-CoV-2 dissemination, understanding the in vivo characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 is a high priority. We report a ferret model of SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission that recapitulates aspects of human disease. SARS-CoV-2-infected ferrets exhibit elevated body temperatures and virus replication. Although fatalities were not observed, SARS-CoV-2-infected ferrets shed virus in nasal washes, saliva, urine, and feces up to 8 days post-infection. At 2 days post-contact, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in all naive direct contact ferrets. Furthermore, a few naive indirect contact ferrets were positive for viral RNA, suggesting airborne transmission. Viral antigens were detected in nasal turbinate, trachea, lungs, and intestine with acute bronchiolitis present in infected lungs. Thus, ferrets represent an infection and transmission animal model of COVID-19 that may facilitate development of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics and vaccines. ⓒ 2020 Elsevier Inc.The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapidly spreads, leading to a pandemic infection. Kim et al. show that ferrets are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and effectively transmit the virus by direct or indirect contact, recapitulating human infection and transmission.
Keyword
2019-novel coronavirusCOVID-19ferretsnovel coronavirus diseaseSARS-CoV-22019-nCoVsevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2transmissionvirus shedding
ISSN
1931-3128
Publisher
Elsevier-Cell Press
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2020.03.023
Type
Article
Appears in Collections:
Division of Research on National Challenges > Infectious Disease Research Center > 1. Journal Articles
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