Pathological Investigation of Syrian Hamster Organs after Infection with SARS-CoV-2

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) significantly impacts the global healthcare system. Patients infected with this virus have shown pulmonary and extrapulmonary symptoms. The golden Syrian hamster is the ideal animal model miming SARS-CoV-2-induced systematic lesions in humans. Materials and Methods: In this study, three groups of four Syrian hamsters were intranasally inoculated with a titer of SARS-CoV-2 at 105.5 TCID50. Groups of inoculated and mock-inoculated uninfected control animals were ethically euthanized at three, six, and ten days post-inoculation to examine the presence of the virus in lung, kidney, liver, and heart tissues using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in order to study the histopathological outcomes. Results: In the gross examination, where tissues are under macroscopic examination and given a value from 0 to 4 based on the intensity of involvement, the lung tissues showed significant involvement with SARS-CoV-2. RT-PCR results were reported using the Cycle Threshold (CT), and any CT value below 35 indicated a positive result. Histopathologic examinations of the lungs of most hamsters showed pneumonia, while those of the liver and kidneys demonstrated partial involvement with the virus. However, histopathologic examinations of the heart showed no pathological effects. Conclusion: This study revealed some clues regarding the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on various organs in the body. It may assist scientists and clinicians in combating the virus by providing a broader and more detailed understanding of its behavior.