Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters

Melanie Rissmann; Danny Noack; Debby van Riel; Katharina S. Schmitz; Rory D. de Vries; Peter van Run; Mart M. Lamers; Corine H. Geurts van Kessel; Marion P.G. Koopmans; Ron A.M. Fouchier; Thijs Kuiken; Bart L. Haagmans; Barry Rockx

doi:10.1080/22221751.2022.2095932

Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters

Melanie Rissmann, Danny Noack, Debby van Riel, Katharina S. Schmitz, Rory D. de Vries, Peter van Run, Mart M. Lamers, Corine H. Geurts van Kessel, Marion P.G. Koopmans, Ron A.M. Fouchier, Thijs Kuiken, Bart L. Haagmans^*, Barry Rockx

^*Corresponding author for this work

Virology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

The Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant is characterized by a high number of mutations in the viral genome, associated with immune escape and increased viral spread. It remains unclear whether milder COVID-19 disease progression observed after infection with Omicron BA.1 in humans is due to reduced pathogenicity of the virus or due to pre-existing immunity from vaccination or previous infection. Here, we inoculated hamsters with Omicron BA.1 to evaluate pathogenicity and kinetics of viral shedding, compared to Delta (B.1.617.2) and to animals re-challenged with Omicron BA.1 after previous SARS-CoV-2 614G infection. Omicron BA.1 infected animals showed reduced clinical signs, pathological changes, and viral shedding, compared to Delta-infected animals, but still showed gross- and histopathological evidence of pneumonia. Pre-existing immunity reduced viral shedding and protected against pneumonia. Our data indicate that the observed decrease of disease severity is in part due to intrinsic properties of the Omicron BA.1 variant.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1778-1786
Number of pages	9
Journal	Emerging Microbes and Infections
Volume	11
Issue number	1
Early online date	17 Jul 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2095932
Publication status	Published - 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding
This research is (partly) financed by the NWO Stevin Prize awarded to M.P.G.K. by the Netherlands Organisation for
Scientific Research (NWO), and B.L.H., R.A.M.F., B.R., and M.P.G. are supported by the NIH/NIAID Centers of
Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR) under contract 75N93021C00014-Icahn School of Medicine
at Mt. Sinai.

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group, on behalf of Shanghai Shangyixun Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.

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Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS CoV 2 Omicron BA 1 B 1 1 529 variant in Syrian golden hamstersFinal published version, 2.55 MBLicence: CC BY

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Rissmann, M., Noack, D., van Riel, D., Schmitz, K. S., de Vries, R. D., van Run, P., Lamers, M. M., Geurts van Kessel, C. H., Koopmans, M. P. G., Fouchier, R. A. M., Kuiken, T., Haagmans, B. L., & Rockx, B. (2022). Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters. Emerging Microbes and Infections, 11(1), 1778-1786. https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2095932

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title = "Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters",

abstract = "The Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant is characterized by a high number of mutations in the viral genome, associated with immune escape and increased viral spread. It remains unclear whether milder COVID-19 disease progression observed after infection with Omicron BA.1 in humans is due to reduced pathogenicity of the virus or due to pre-existing immunity from vaccination or previous infection. Here, we inoculated hamsters with Omicron BA.1 to evaluate pathogenicity and kinetics of viral shedding, compared to Delta (B.1.617.2) and to animals re-challenged with Omicron BA.1 after previous SARS-CoV-2 614G infection. Omicron BA.1 infected animals showed reduced clinical signs, pathological changes, and viral shedding, compared to Delta-infected animals, but still showed gross- and histopathological evidence of pneumonia. Pre-existing immunity reduced viral shedding and protected against pneumonia. Our data indicate that the observed decrease of disease severity is in part due to intrinsic properties of the Omicron BA.1 variant.",

author = "Melanie Rissmann and Danny Noack and {van Riel}, Debby and Schmitz, {Katharina S.} and {de Vries}, {Rory D.} and {van Run}, Peter and Lamers, {Mart M.} and {Geurts van Kessel}, {Corine H.} and Koopmans, {Marion P.G.} and Fouchier, {Ron A.M.} and Thijs Kuiken and Haagmans, {Bart L.} and Barry Rockx",

note = "Funding This research is (partly) financed by the NWO Stevin Prize awarded to M.P.G.K. by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and B.L.H., R.A.M.F., B.R., and M.P.G. are supported by the NIH/NIAID Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR) under contract 75N93021C00014-Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group, on behalf of Shanghai Shangyixun Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.",

year = "2022",

doi = "10.1080/22221751.2022.2095932",

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Rissmann, M , Noack, D , van Riel, D , Schmitz, KS , de Vries, RD , van Run, P, Lamers, MM, Geurts van Kessel, CH , Koopmans, MPG , Fouchier, RAM , Kuiken, T , Haagmans, BL & Rockx, B 2022, 'Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters', Emerging Microbes and Infections, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1778-1786. https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2095932

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T1 - Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters

AU - Rissmann, Melanie

AU - Noack, Danny

AU - van Riel, Debby

AU - Schmitz, Katharina S.

AU - de Vries, Rory D.

AU - van Run, Peter

AU - Lamers, Mart M.

AU - Geurts van Kessel, Corine H.

AU - Koopmans, Marion P.G.

AU - Fouchier, Ron A.M.

AU - Kuiken, Thijs

AU - Haagmans, Bart L.

AU - Rockx, Barry

N1 - Funding This research is (partly) financed by the NWO Stevin Prize awarded to M.P.G.K. by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and B.L.H., R.A.M.F., B.R., and M.P.G. are supported by the NIH/NIAID Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR) under contract 75N93021C00014-Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group, on behalf of Shanghai Shangyixun Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - The Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant is characterized by a high number of mutations in the viral genome, associated with immune escape and increased viral spread. It remains unclear whether milder COVID-19 disease progression observed after infection with Omicron BA.1 in humans is due to reduced pathogenicity of the virus or due to pre-existing immunity from vaccination or previous infection. Here, we inoculated hamsters with Omicron BA.1 to evaluate pathogenicity and kinetics of viral shedding, compared to Delta (B.1.617.2) and to animals re-challenged with Omicron BA.1 after previous SARS-CoV-2 614G infection. Omicron BA.1 infected animals showed reduced clinical signs, pathological changes, and viral shedding, compared to Delta-infected animals, but still showed gross- and histopathological evidence of pneumonia. Pre-existing immunity reduced viral shedding and protected against pneumonia. Our data indicate that the observed decrease of disease severity is in part due to intrinsic properties of the Omicron BA.1 variant.

AB - The Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant is characterized by a high number of mutations in the viral genome, associated with immune escape and increased viral spread. It remains unclear whether milder COVID-19 disease progression observed after infection with Omicron BA.1 in humans is due to reduced pathogenicity of the virus or due to pre-existing immunity from vaccination or previous infection. Here, we inoculated hamsters with Omicron BA.1 to evaluate pathogenicity and kinetics of viral shedding, compared to Delta (B.1.617.2) and to animals re-challenged with Omicron BA.1 after previous SARS-CoV-2 614G infection. Omicron BA.1 infected animals showed reduced clinical signs, pathological changes, and viral shedding, compared to Delta-infected animals, but still showed gross- and histopathological evidence of pneumonia. Pre-existing immunity reduced viral shedding and protected against pneumonia. Our data indicate that the observed decrease of disease severity is in part due to intrinsic properties of the Omicron BA.1 variant.

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U2 - 10.1080/22221751.2022.2095932

DO - 10.1080/22221751.2022.2095932

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AN - SCOPUS:85134485273

SN - 2222-1751

VL - 11

SP - 1778

EP - 1786

JO - Emerging Microbes and Infections

JF - Emerging Microbes and Infections

IS - 1

ER -

Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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