SARS-CoV-2 and Animal Models

Dear Colleagues,

The current COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a highly significant public health concern worldwide. Animal models for SARS-CoV-2 infection were established quite rapidly after the initial phases of the pandemic, and they have been crucial to the development of vaccines and therapies against the disease. However, infections and disease models recapitulating the range of the severity of the infection in humans are still missing. Moreover, the emergence of new variants of concern in different regions will need further studies of pathogenicity and transmission, and animal models will play an important role in elucidating the key aspects of these. The development of alternative models in line with the 3Rs is also an important approach to gain further insight into the pathogenesis of this disease.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide data on the development and application of animal models of SARS-CoV-2 together with new in vitro technologies that will help characterise the infection by this virus and produce effective prophylactic and therapeutic approaches to combat the pandemic.

Dr. F. Javier Salguero
Guest Editor

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