SARS CoV-2 variant B.1.617.1 is highly pathogenic in hamsters than B.1 variant
P. D. Yadav, S. Mohandas, A. M. Shete, D. A. Nyayanit, N. Gupta, D. Y. Patil, G. N. Sapkal, V. Potdar, M. Kadam, A. kumar, S. Kumar, D. Suryavanshi, C. S. Mote, P. Abraham, S. Panda, B. Bhargava
This study compares the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1 and B.1.617.1 in hamsters, finding B.1.617.1 causes greater body weight loss, higher viral load, and more severe lung lesions.
bioRxiv · May 5, 2021 · PreprintMicrobiology