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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Antiviral Res. 2022 Nov 25;209:105476. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105476

Table 6:

Animal models of alphavirus infection

virus model Pathology references
VEEV guinea pig high lethality, no encephalitis symptoms 244–246
hamster high lethality, no encephalitis symptoms 244–246
mice (various immune competent strains) similar to human infection, route dependent pathology 247–255
cynomolgus macaques Similar to human infection lymphatic pathology, myocarditis develop CNS lesions regardless of encephalitis symptoms 244,246,254,256,257
various equids high lethality but distinct from human disease 244
EEEV mice (various immune competent strains) develop seizures, no vasculitis 247,254,258,259
hamsters high lethality, no encephalitis symptoms 254
guinea pigs lethal with no obvious encephalitis 254
macaques similar to human infection 254,260–263
owl monkeys similar to human infection 262
marmosets similar to human infection 261
NHP models additional readouts such as brainwaves under development 264
WEEV mice (Swiss, Balb/c, others) Similar to human infection Also develop myocarditis 254,265–268
hamsters high mortality when infected in the periphery, rescuable with interferon 258,269–271
macaques Similar to human infection, Also develop myocarditis, lethality is strain and experiment dependent 254,257,272,273
CHIKV neonatal mice high lethality 274–277
interferon deficient mice high lethality 275
mice (various immune competent strains) similar to human arthralgia 275,278–280
Rag knockout mice and similar Similar to human arthralgia increased viral persistence 275,281–283
adult macaques similar to mild human disease, high dose mimics severe disease 275,284–288
aged macaques Similar to human disease, developed to study disease in specific human populations 275,289
pregnant macaques Similar to human disease, developed to study disease in specific human populations 287
SINV mice (various immune competent strains) specialized viral strains develop encephalitis can also be used for arthralgia, which is more similar to human pathology 8,290
neonate and weanling mice high lethality, some encephalitis 291–294
RRV mice (various immune competent strains) similar to human disease 295–297
BFV mice (various immune competent strains) similar to human disease 298
ONNV mice (various immune competent strains) similar to human disease 299
MAYV mice (various immune competent strains) similar to human disease 300
cynomolgus macaques similar to human disease 284
SFV mice (various immune competent strains) similar to human disease 301