A team of researchers at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology in Taiwan is providing new information on immunological cytokines and biological parameters related to the pathogenesis and immune response profile in the Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The main target of SARS-CoV-2 is the lungs, but the researchers observed small amounts of virus appearing in liver, pancreas, heart, kidney, PBMC, and even bone marrow; however, no visible damage appeared in these organs and tissues except liver.

Although no inflammation and cell infiltration was observed in these organs of SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters, structural abnormalities and large vacuoles were detected in the liver.

According to the researchers, hepatic and pancreatic dysfunction are highly correlated with the severity of COVID-19, contributing to increased ICU admission and intubation and potentially to multisystem manifestations. Some of these parameters (or combinations of them) may have potential as optimal tools for clinical analysis.