Animal Models of Pathogenic New World Arenaviruses

Since the emergence of Junín virus in 1953, pathogenic New World arenaviruses have remained a public health concern. These viruses, which also include Machupo virus, Guanarito virus, Sabiá virus, and Chapare virus, cause acute viral hemorrhagic fever and neurological complications, resulting in sign...

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Main Authors: Alexander V. Alvarado, Robert W. Cross, Thomas W. Geisbert, Courtney Woolsey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1358
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author Alexander V. Alvarado
Robert W. Cross
Thomas W. Geisbert
Courtney Woolsey
author_facet Alexander V. Alvarado
Robert W. Cross
Thomas W. Geisbert
Courtney Woolsey
author_sort Alexander V. Alvarado
collection DOAJ
description Since the emergence of Junín virus in 1953, pathogenic New World arenaviruses have remained a public health concern. These viruses, which also include Machupo virus, Guanarito virus, Sabiá virus, and Chapare virus, cause acute viral hemorrhagic fever and neurological complications, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Given the dearth of licensed therapeutics or vaccines against these pathogens, animal models of infection that recapitulate human manifestations of disease remain critically important to the development of efficacious medical countermeasures. Rodents and non-human primates have been successfully used to model human New World arenaviral infections, with guinea pigs, rhesus macaques, and cynomolgus macaques being the most successful models of infection for most major pathogenic New World arenaviruses. Here, we provide a highly comprehensive review of publicly reported animal models of pathogenic New World arenavirus infections, with a discussion of advantages and disadvantages for each model.
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spelling doaj-art-e748683d069d4277bef86f8e703943aa2025-08-20T03:27:40ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-06-01136135810.3390/microorganisms13061358Animal Models of Pathogenic New World ArenavirusesAlexander V. Alvarado0Robert W. Cross1Thomas W. Geisbert2Courtney Woolsey3Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, USAGalveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, USAGalveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, USAGalveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, USASince the emergence of Junín virus in 1953, pathogenic New World arenaviruses have remained a public health concern. These viruses, which also include Machupo virus, Guanarito virus, Sabiá virus, and Chapare virus, cause acute viral hemorrhagic fever and neurological complications, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Given the dearth of licensed therapeutics or vaccines against these pathogens, animal models of infection that recapitulate human manifestations of disease remain critically important to the development of efficacious medical countermeasures. Rodents and non-human primates have been successfully used to model human New World arenaviral infections, with guinea pigs, rhesus macaques, and cynomolgus macaques being the most successful models of infection for most major pathogenic New World arenaviruses. Here, we provide a highly comprehensive review of publicly reported animal models of pathogenic New World arenavirus infections, with a discussion of advantages and disadvantages for each model.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1358arenavirusesNew World arenavirusesJunín virusGuanarito virusMachupo virusChapare virus
spellingShingle Alexander V. Alvarado
Robert W. Cross
Thomas W. Geisbert
Courtney Woolsey
Animal Models of Pathogenic New World Arenaviruses
Microorganisms
arenaviruses
New World arenaviruses
Junín virus
Guanarito virus
Machupo virus
Chapare virus
title Animal Models of Pathogenic New World Arenaviruses
title_full Animal Models of Pathogenic New World Arenaviruses
title_fullStr Animal Models of Pathogenic New World Arenaviruses
title_full_unstemmed Animal Models of Pathogenic New World Arenaviruses
title_short Animal Models of Pathogenic New World Arenaviruses
title_sort animal models of pathogenic new world arenaviruses
topic arenaviruses
New World arenaviruses
Junín virus
Guanarito virus
Machupo virus
Chapare virus
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1358
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