Characterization of Ebola Virus Mucosal Challenge Routes in Cynomolgus Macaques
Dylan M. Johnson, Trevor Brasel, Shane Massey, Jeanon N. Smith, Tania Garron, Shannon M. Wallace, Xiaoying Yu, David W. C. Beasley, Jason E. Comer
Abstract
This study is the first to examine the Kikwit strain of EBOV, the most commonly used strain, in the gold-standard macaque model of infection. Additionally, this is the first description of the detection of virus in the vitreous fluid, an immune privileged site that has been proposed as a viral reservoir, following conjunctival challenge. The oral and conjunctival macaque challenge model of EVD described here more faithfully recapitulates the prodrome that has been reported for human EVD. This work paves the way for more advanced studies to model contact transmission of EVD, including early events in mucosal infection and immunity, as well as the establishment of persistent viral infection and the emergence from these reservoirs.