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Oral SARS-CoV-2 Inoculation Establishes Subclinical Respiratory Infection with Virus Shedding in Golden Syrian Hamsters

49 Pages Posted: 10 Aug 2020 Publication Status: Published

See all articles by Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee

Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee

The University of Hong Kong - University of Hong Kong

Anna Jinxia Zhang

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Can Li

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Zhimeng Fan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Feifei Liu

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Yanxia Chen

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Ronghui Liang

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Siddharth Sridhar

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Jian-Piao Cai

Southern Medical University - Division of Laboratory Medicine

Vincent Kwok-Man Poon

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Chris Chung-Sing Chan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Kelvin Kai-Wang To

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Shuofeng Yuan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Jie Zhou

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Hin Chu

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Kwok-Yung Yuen

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

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Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted largely by respiratory droplets or airborne aerosols.  Despite being frequently found in the immediate environment and faeces of patients, evidence supporting oral acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 is unavailable.  Utilizing Syrian hamster model, we demonstrated that the severity of pneumonia induced by intranasal inhalation of SARS-CoV-2 increased with virus inoculum. SARS-CoV-2 retained its infectivity in vitro in simulated human fed-gastric and fasted-intestinal fluid after two hours. Oral inoculation with the highest intranasal inoculum (10 5 PFU) caused only mild pneumonia in 67% (4/6) of the animals with no clinical symptoms. The lung histopathology and viral load were significantly lower than those infected by the lowest intranasal inoculum (100 PFU). However, 83% oral infection (10/12 hamsters) had similar level of detectable viral shedding from oral swabs and faeces as intranasally infected hamsters. Our findings indicated oral acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 can establish asymptomatic respiratory infection with less efficiency.

Note: Funding: This study was partly supported by the donations of May Tam Mak Mei Yin, Richard Yu and Carol Yu, the Shaw Foundation Hong Kong, Michael Seak-Kan Tong, Respiratory Viral Research Foundation Limited, Lo Ying Shek Chi Wai Foundation, Hui Ming, Hui Hoy and Chow Sin Lan Charity Fund Limited, Chan Yin Chuen Memorial Charitable Foundation, Marina Man-Wai Lee, the Hong Kong Hainan Commercial Association South China Microbiology Research Fund, the Jessie & George Ho Charitable Foundation, Perfect Shape Medical Limited, Kai Chong Tong, and Foo Oi Foundation Limited; and funding from the Health and Medical Research Fund (grant no. COVID190121 and COVID190123), the Food and Health Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; the National Program on Key Research Project of China (grant no. 2020YFA0707500 and 2020YFA0707504); the Consultancy Service for Enhancing Laboratory Surveillance of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Research Capability on Antimicrobial Resistance for Department of Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government; and the Theme-Based Research Scheme (T11/707/15) of the Research Grants Council, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The funding sources had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or writing of the report.

Declaration of Interest: None to declare

Keywords: coronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, hamster, oral, gastrointestinal, asymptomatic

Suggested Citation

Lee, Andrew Chak-Yiu and Zhang, Anna Jinxia and Chan, Jasper Fuk-Woo and Li, Can and Fan, Zhimeng and Liu, Feifei and Chen, Yanxia and Liang, Ronghui and Sridhar, Siddharth and Cai, Jian-Piao and Poon, Vincent Kwok-Man and Chan, Chris Chung-Sing and To, Kelvin Kai-Wang and Yuan, Shuofeng and Zhou, Jie and Chu, Hin and Yuen, Kwok-Yung, Oral SARS-CoV-2 Inoculation Establishes Subclinical Respiratory Infection with Virus Shedding in Golden Syrian Hamsters. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3669385 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3669385
This version of the paper has not been formally peer reviewed.

Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee

The University of Hong Kong - University of Hong Kong

Anna Jinxia Zhang

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Can Li

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Hong Kong
China

Zhimeng Fan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Feifei Liu

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Hong Kong
China

Yanxia Chen

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Ronghui Liang

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Siddharth Sridhar

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Jian-Piao Cai

Southern Medical University - Division of Laboratory Medicine

Guangzhou, Guangdong Province
China

Vincent Kwok-Man Poon

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Chris Chung-Sing Chan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Kelvin Kai-Wang To

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Shuofeng Yuan

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Jie Zhou

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Hong Kong
China

Hin Chu

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

Hong Kong
China

Kwok-Yung Yuen (Contact Author)

The University of Hong Kong - State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( email )

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