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Cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus): an animal model to study the pathogenesis of measles virus infection
1Institute of Virology and Immunobiology, Würzburg, Germany. niewiesk@vim.uni-wuerzburg.de
Abstract:
Measles is still the most lethal infectious disease of infants worldwide. In spite of research efforts, two major problems associated with measles virus (MV) infection have not been resolved. One is the marked immune suppression leading to subsequent (often lethal) opportunistic infections and the second is waning of maternal antibodies which do not protect against wild type virus infection any longer, but impair vaccination. Monkeys are an animal model in which MV infection most closely resembles the human disease. The use of monkeys is restricted by ethical and financial reasons and their availability. A cost-effective alternative is the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus). Cotton rats are the only rodents which replicate measles virus in lung tissue after intranasal infection. Our research has shown that cotton rats are a valid model to study MV induced immune suppression and to test vaccine candidates. It is also useful for comparing various wild type measles virus strains as well as recombinant measles viruses.
Insights
Measles virus (MV) infection causes immune suppression and vaccine challenges. Cotton rats offer a cost-effective animal model for studying MV, immune responses, and evaluating vaccine candidates.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Measles remains a leading cause of infant mortality globally.
- Key challenges include measles virus (MV)-induced immune suppression and waning maternal antibodies impacting vaccination.
- Current animal models like non-human primates are limited by ethical and financial constraints.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) as a cost-effective animal model for measles virus (MV) research.
- To assess the utility of cotton rats for studying MV-induced immune suppression.
- To determine the suitability of cotton rats for testing MV vaccine candidates and comparing MV strains.
Main Methods:
- Intranasal infection of cotton rats with measles virus.
- Monitoring viral replication in lung tissue.
- Assessing MV-induced immune responses and evaluating vaccine efficacy in the cotton rat model.
Main Results:
- Cotton rats replicate measles virus in lung tissue following intranasal infection.
- The cotton rat model effectively mimics aspects of human MV infection, including immune suppression.
- This model is suitable for testing vaccine candidates and comparing different MV strains.
Conclusions:
- Cotton rats represent a valuable and cost-effective animal model for studying measles virus.
- This model facilitates research into MV-induced immune suppression and the development of effective vaccines.
- The cotton rat model offers a viable alternative to non-human primates for measles research.