Fig. 2. Time-course dynamics of Omicron subvariants in vivo.

Syrian hamsters were intranasally inoculated with saline (n = 6, uninfected control), B.1.1 (n = 6), BA.1 (n = 5), BA.2 (n = 6), and BA.5 (n = 6). Body weight (A), PenH (B), Rpef (C), SpO₂ (D), and viral RNA load in the oral swab (E) were routinely measured as indicated in the graph. Data are the mean ± s.e.m. In A, the statistical significance of differences between BA.5 and other variants or saline across timepoints from 1 d.p.i. to 7 d.p.i. was determined by multiple regression (*P < 0.05). The family-wise error rates calculated using the Holm method are indicated in the figure. In B–E, the statistical significance of differences between B.1.1 and other variants or saline was tested by Tukey’s multiplicity correction (^‡P < 0.05). The statistical significance of differences between BA.5 and other variants or saline was tested by Tukey’s multiplicity correction (*P < 0.05).