Enterovirus 71 infection causes severe pulmonary lesions in gerbils, meriones unguiculatus, which can be prevented by passive immunization with specific antisera.

ABSTRACT: Neurogenic pulmonary edema caused by severe brainstem encephalitis is the leading cause of death in young children infected by Enterovirus 71 (EV71). However, no pulmonary lesions have been found in EV71-infected transgenic or non-transgenic mouse models. Development of a suitable animal model is important for studying EV71 pathogenesis and assessing effect of therapeutic approaches. We had found neurological disorders in EV71-induced young gerbils previously. Here, we report severe pulmonary lesions characterized with pulmonary congestion and hemorrhage in a gerbil model for EV71 infection. In the EV71-infected gerbils, six 21-day-old or younger gerbils presented with a sudden onset of symptoms and rapid illness progression after inoculation with 1×105.5 TCID50 of EV71 via intraperitoneal

SUBMITTER: Xu F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4359154 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature