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Evaluating Countermeasures Against Marburg Virus Using a Mouse Model
Zachary Schiffman1,2, Shihua He1, Kevin Tierney1
1Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 25, 2024
Summary
Mouse-adapted Marburg virus (MA-MARV) causes lethal disease in mice, mimicking human Marburg virus disease. This study details a protocol for using MA-MARV in mice to test new countermeasures against this deadly virus.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pathogenesis
- Animal Models
Background:
- Marburg virus (MARV) infection is a severe hemorrhagic fever with high mortality.
- Understanding MARV pathogenesis and developing countermeasures requires suitable animal models.
- Wild-type MARV does not induce disease in immunocompetent rodents, necessitating adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a protocol for using mouse-adapted Marburg virus (MA-MARV) in mice.
- To provide a method for evaluating novel countermeasures against Marburg virus disease.
Main Methods:
- Serial passaging of wild-type MARV in SCID mice to generate a mouse-adapted variant (MA-MARV).
- Inoculation of BALB/c mice with MA-MARV.
- Observation of disease hallmarks, including virus replication, immune response, and organ damage.
Main Results:
- MA-MARV is uniformly lethal in BALB/c mice.
- MA-MARV infection replicates key features of human Marburg virus disease, such as robust viral replication, immune dysregulation, and extensive organ damage.
Conclusions:
- MA-MARV serves as an effective small animal model for studying Marburg virus pathogenesis.
- The described protocol facilitates the evaluation of potential countermeasures against Marburg virus infection in a mammalian model.
