Advances and gaps in SARS-CoV-2 infection models

Area of Science:

• * Infectious disease modeling and preclinical research.
• * Virology and immunology of SARS-CoV-2.
• * Global public health and pandemic response.

Background:

• * The global response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) faces challenges including vaccine inequity and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs).
• * Preclinical models, especially animal models, are vital for understanding disease pathogenesis, vaccine efficacy, and therapeutic interventions.
• * The World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 modeling expert group (WHO-COM) provides updates on these critical research tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To update on the advances in preclinical models for COVID-19 research.
• * To highlight the role of animal models in evaluating SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.
• * To discuss the refinement of animal models for better disease recapitulation.

Main Methods:

• * Review and synthesis of current research on animal models for COVID-19.
• * Expert group discussions and consensus building within the WHO-COM.
• * Analysis of how animal models address VOCs, transmission, and immune escape.

Main Results:

• * Animal models are essential for assessing the virulence, transmission, and immune escape of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.
• * Ongoing refinement of animal models aims to better reflect human demographic variables like age and comorbidities.
• * These models are critical for developing and evaluating vaccines and postexposure therapies against emerging variants.

Conclusions:

• * Advances in preclinical animal models are crucial for navigating the evolving challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• * Continued development and application of these models will enhance our ability to combat SARS-CoV-2 variants and inform global health strategies.
• * Sophisticated animal models are indispensable for understanding disease dynamics and testing countermeasures.