Age-related rhesus macaque models of COVID-19

Yu, Pin; Qi, Feifei; Xu, Yanfeng; Li, Fengdi; Liu, Peipei; Liu, Jiayi; Bao, Linlin; Deng, Wei; Gao, Hong; Xiang, Zhiguang; Xiao, Chong; Lv, Qi; Gong, Shuran; Liu, Jiangning; Song, Zhiqi; Qu, Yajin; Xue, Jing; Wei, Qiang; Liu, Mingya; Wang, Guanpeng; Wang, Shunyi; Yu, Haisheng; Liu, Xing; Huang, Baoying; Wang, Wenling; Zhao, Li; Wang, Huijuan; Ye, Fei; Zhou, Weimin; Zhen, Wei; Han, Jun; Wu, Guizhen; Jin, Qi; Wang, Jianwei; Tan, Wenjie; Qin, Chuan

To develop a macaque animal infection model with SARS-CoV-2, three rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) (3-5 years old) and two 15 years old rhesus macaques were subsequently inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 by intratracheal routes containing 10 6 TCID 50 /mL. On 0, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 , and 15-day post-inoculation (dpi), imageological examinations using X-rays were performed. On 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 , and 14 dpi, the nasal, throat, and anal swabs were collected in 1 mL DMEM with 50 U/mL penicillin and 50 µg/mL streptomycin. The IPTT-300 temperature probes (BMDS), which were injected interscapularly into the macaques prior to the start of the experiment, were used to monitor the temperature. Blood samples were collected before the beginning of this research and on 0, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, and 14 dpi for hematological analysis. Lung tissues were collected at 7 dpi. All sera were collected at 3, 7 and 14 dpi to test the IgG antibodies reactive with SARS-CoV-2 antigens. For the OD450 value, more than twice higher than the negative control was regarded as positive result.