Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (
SARS-CoV)-2
infection in golden
Syrian hamster (GSH) causes
lung pathology and resembles
human coronavirus disease (Covid-19). However, extra-pulmonary
pathologies of SARS-CoV-2 infection that result in long Covid remains undefined in GSH. Here, using
in silico modelling we show that
hamster angiotensin-converting
enzyme-2 (ACE-2) and
neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) interaction with
SARS-CoV-2 is
similar to
human. Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 infection in GSH resulted in early onset of
lung pathologies marked by aggressive inflammatory response. Remarkably, late phase of SARS-CoV2
infection in GSH showed cardiovascular
complications (CVC) characterized by ventricular
hypertrophy, ventricular wall thickening, interstitial coronary
fibrosis and altered
lipidomics with
elevated cholesterol,
low-density lipoprotein and long chain
fatty acid triglycerides. Moreover,
serum metabolomics profile of infected GSH correlated with Covid19
patients. Together, we propose GSH as a suitable
animal model to study immediate and long Covid19
pathologies that could be extended to
therapeutics against Covid19 related CVC.