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Figure 3 | Veterinary Research

Figure 3

From: Ultra- and micro-structural changes of respiratory tracts in SARS-CoV-2 infected Syrian hamsters

Figure 3

Microscopic features of the trachea of male Syrian hamsters intranasally inoculated with 1 × 106 PFU of SARS-CoV-2 (n = 3 per group). A Microscopic changes of trachea epithelium, lamina propria, submucosa, and lumen are shown. SARS-CoV-2 first affected the respiratory epithelium of the trachea at 2 dpi. The ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium of trachea was damaged and turned into squamous and/or cuboidal shaped cells. Cilia atop the respiratory epithelium lining were damaged and goblet cells were indistinct. These microscopic damages were recovered at 8 dpi. Inflammatory cells infiltrated into the lamina propria and submucosa layer from 2 dpi. This infiltration was the most severe at 4 dpi but was rarely observed at 8 dpi. Mononuclear inflammatory cells infiltrated into the lumen (black arrowheads) and lamina propria/submucosa (black arrows). H&E, Scale bar, 50 μm; Insert: higher magnification. B Histopathology scoring of the trachea. Data are presented as means ± SD. The microscopic lesion of trachea was the most severe in 2 dpi and 4 dpi groups compared to that in control and other infection groups (P < 0.01). Although 8 dpi, 12 dpi, and 16 dpi groups showed microscopic trachea damage, it was not significant compared to the control group.

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