Open AccessAdvances and gaps in SARS-CoV-2 infection models
Author(s) -
César Muñoz-Fontela,
Lina Widerspick,
Randy A. Albrecht,
Martin Beer,
Miles W. Carroll,
Emmie de Wit,
Michael S. Diamond,
William E. Dowling,
Simon G. P. Funnell,
Adolfo Garcı́a-Sastre,
Nora M. Gerhards,
Rineke de Jong,
Vincent J. Munster,
Johan Neyts,
Stanley Perlman,
Douglas S. Reed,
Jürgen A. Richt,
Ximena Riveros-Balta,
Chad J. Roy,
Francisco J. Salguero,
Michael Schotsaert,
Lauren Schwartz,
Robert A. Seder,
Joaquím Segalés,
Seshadri S. Vasan,
Ana María Henao-Restrepo,
Dan H. Barouch
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos pathogens
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.719
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1553-7374
pISSN - 1553-7366
DOI - 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010161
Subject(s) - covid-19 , disease , animal model , coronavirus , transmission (telecommunications) , pandemic , infectious disease (medical specialty) , virology , medicine , biology , immunology , computer science , outbreak , telecommunications , pathology , endocrinology
The global response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now facing new challenges such as vaccine inequity and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). Preclinical models of disease, in particular animal models, are essential to investigate VOC pathogenesis, vaccine correlates of protection and postexposure therapies. Here, we provide an update from the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 modeling expert group (WHO-COM) assembled by WHO, regarding advances in preclinical models. In particular, we discuss how animal model research is playing a key role to evaluate VOC virulence, transmission and immune escape, and how animal models are being refined to recapitulate COVID-19 demographic variables such as comorbidities and age.