Age-dependent pathogenic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27717-3
• Publication Date: 2022-01-10T11:02:59Z
• Authors: Young-Il Kim; Kwang-Min Yu; June-Young Koh; Eun-Ha Kim; Se-Mi Kim; Eun Ji Kim; Mark Anthony B. C...; Rare Rollon; Seung-Gyu Jang; Min-Suk Song; Su-Jin Park; Hye Won Jeong; Eung-Gook Kim; Ok-Jun Lee; Yong-Dae Kim; Younho Choi; Shin-Ae Lee; Youn Jung Choi; Su-Hyung Park; Jae U. Jung; Young Ki Choi
• Keywords: Sars virus; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak; Pandemic

While the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthy people does not differ significantly among age groups, those aged 65 years or older exhibit strikingly higher COVID-19 mortality compared to younger individuals. To further understand differing manifestations patients different ages, three groups ferrets are infected with SARS-CoV-2. Although is isolated from all regardless age, (≥3 old) show viral loads, longer nasal virus shedding, and more severe lung inflammatory cell infiltration, clinical symptoms juvenile (≤6 months) young adult (1-2 years) groups. Furthermore, direct contact co-housed virus-infected group shed than direct-contact ferrets. Transcriptome analysis ferret lungs reveals strong enrichment gene sets related type I interferon, activated T cells, M1 macrophage responses, mimicking expression profile patients. Thus, SARS-CoV-2-infected highly recapitulate useful for understanding age-associated infection, transmission, pathogenesis