- Thoracic Radiographs
- Gross Postmortem Examination 
- Histopathologic Findings 


Clinical Measurements of Lung Damage

Cytokines similar to those in humans infected with Covid-19 had been upregulated in the two animals, AGM1 and AGM2, that progressed to ARDS. Elevated cytokines included IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-4/IL-13, IL-8, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α, indicative of a cytokine storm. AGM4 had a similar increase in cytokine concentrations but did not progress to ARDS. Contrastingly, RMs had moderate changes in cytokine expression at 7 DPI, despite extensive viral loads. IFN-γ concentrations were high in AGM1 and AGM2 during an acute infection and associated with viral RNA in the bronchi. IgG antibodies were not observed in AGM1, but all remaining animals had observable antibody concentrations by 21 DPI. 

Production of Cytokines

- Clinical Measurements of Lung Damage
- Production of Cytokines 


Tulane University

Four AGMs and four RMs were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 either through aerosolization or via multiple routes. 
Experimental Group 1:
Four animals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 via small particle aerosol

- AGM1
- AGM4
- RM3
- RM4

Four animals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 via multiple route installation

- AGM2
- AGM3
- RM1
- RM2

RNA from the virus was detected in mucosal swabs and samples from the pharynx and nasal cavity of all eight animals. Analysis of rectal swabs showed high levels of viral RNA. 


Results of the Study

Blair, R. V., Vaccari, M., Doyle-Meyers, L. A., Roy, C. J., Russell-Lodrigue, K., Fahlberg, M., . . . Rappaport, J. (2021). Acute respiratory distress in aged, sars-cov-2–infected african green monkeys but not rhesus macaques. The American Journal of Pathology, 191(2), 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.10.016

Acute Respiratory Distress in Aged, SARS-CoV-2–Infected African Green Monkeys but Not Rhesus Macaques

Animals were assessed up to four weeks after initial exposure with regular clinical analysis that included physical exams, pulse oximetry and plethysmography. Observations during the study included moderate changes in temperature, oxygen and appetite for all animals other than AGM1 and AGM2. Day 7 and 21 post-infection involved physical examinations and a complete sample collection of all of the animals (no notable findings were observed).  24 hours after sample collection, respiratory distress was observed in AGM1 AND AGM2 (8 DPI for AGM1 and 22 DPI for AGM2). 

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