Pathogenic and transcriptomic differences of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in the Syrian golden hamster model

The pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain and variants of concern such as B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 was evaluated by using a Syrian golden hamster intranasal infection model. The histopathological findings in the lung was comparable among these three strains. Moreover, viral replication in the respiratory tracts was also comparable among strains. The transcriptional profiling demonstrated that although all three strains strongly induce inflammatory signatures, whose response is most robust in the infection of B.1.1.7 strain.