A study from Wuhan, China investigated the potential routes of infection of COVID-19, focusing on mosquitoes as they are vectors for a number of other infectious diseases. The study conducted an experiment on cell lines from Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus and found no viral replication in the insect cell lines. Researchers also collected Culex and Anopheles mosquitoes from around Wuhan, China and found no infection by SARS-CoV-2 using a qRT-PCR detection assay. The study concludes that mosquitoes in general do not transmit SARS-CoV-2.

University of California, Davis

- Application of Rhesus Macaques for Studying SARS-CoV-2 Virology
- Application of Syrian Hamsters for Studying SARS-CoV-2 Virology
- Application of Mosquitoes for Studying SARS-CoV-2 Virology
- Application of African Green Monkeys for Studying SARS-CoV-2 Virology

Animal Studies on SARS-CoV-2 Virology

Xia, H., Atoni, E., Zhao, L., Ren, N., Huang, D., Pei, R., ... & Zhang, B. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 does not replicate in aedes mosquito cells nor present in field-caught mosquitoes from Wuhan. Virologica Sinica, 35(3), 355-358.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12250-020-00251-0

SARS-CoV-2 Does Not Replicate in Aedes Mosquito Cells nor Present in Field-Caught Mosquitoes from Wuhan

A study from Japan assessed the onset of SARS-CoV-2 virology upon infection in Syrian hamsters. Severe respiratory pathology was noted, in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts, along with a significant immune response that was protective against reinfection in previously-affected mice as well as other non-infected hamsters upon serum administration. These effects were demonstrated with both a low and high dose.

Application of Syrian Hamsters for Studying SARS-CoV-2 Virology

A study in Beijing, China was conducted on rhesus macaques and found that the monkeys were protected against subsequent infection by the identical strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus once they entered the early recovery phase. 28 days post primary infection, researchers re-exposed the virus to four monkeys and detected no changes in viral load. Antibody titers were elevated at 14 days post re-exposure, and no viral RNA or infected cells were found in necropsy specimens following euthanasia.

Application of Rhesus Macaques for Studying SARS-CoV-2 Virology

Application of Mosquitoes for Studying SARS-CoV-2 Virology

In this study performed by the Tulane National Primate Research Center, reports of physiological symptoms similar to patients with severe infections of SARS-CoV-2 were confirmed. Two cases of ARDS in African green monkeys (AGMs) and mild infections in 2 AGMs and 4 RMs infected with Covid-19 were observed. All the AGMs had increased levels of plasma IL-6 and three of the four infected AGMs had high levels of circulating cytokines. All of these factors indicate an immune response similar to those in humans and support the use of AGMs as animal models useful for observing the in vivo effects of ARDS. 

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