SARS-CoV-2 disease severity and transmission efficiency is increased for airborne but not fomite exposure in Syrian hamsters.

ABSTRACT: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is driven by contact, fomite, and airborne transmission. The relative contribution of different transmission routes remains subject to debate. Here, we show Syrian hamsters are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection through intranasal, aerosol and fomite exposure. Different routes of exposure presented with distinct disease manifestations. Intranasal and aerosol inoculation caused more severe respiratory pathology, higher virus loads and increased weight loss. Fomite exposure led to milder disease manifestation characterized by an anti-inflammatory immune state and delayed shedding pattern. Whereas the overall magnitude of respiratory virus shedding was not linked to disease severity, the onset of shedding was. Early shedding was linked to an increase in disease sev

SUBMITTER: Port JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7781302 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature