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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.

Sec. Virology

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1646616

Long-term neurocognitive outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a hamster model

Provisionally accepted
Carla Ruiz-CasasCarla Ruiz-Casas1Ferran Tarrés-FreixasFerran Tarrés-Freixas1Núria RocaNúria Roca1Mònica PérezMònica Pérez1Guillermo CanteroGuillermo Cantero1Laura MartínLaura Martín1Alex OlveraAlex Olvera2Marta Ruiz-RiolMarta Ruiz-Riol2Christian BranderChristian Brander2Carla UsaiCarla Usai1Júlia Vergara-AlertJúlia Vergara-Alert1Joaquim SegalésJoaquim Segalés3*
  • 1Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentaries Centro de Investigacion en Sanidad Animal, Bellaterra, Spain
  • 2IrsiCaixa, Badalona, Spain
  • 3Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

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Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) is a long-lasting, multisystemic syndrome affecting approximately 30% of individuals after acute COVID-19, with neurological symptoms among the most prevalent and debilitating. Despite its substantial global health impact, the biological mechanisms underlying PCC remain poorly understood, underscoring the need for validated animal models. To address this, we conducted a longitudinal study using the golden Syrian hamster model, integrating virological, immunological, histopathological, and behavioral analyses from the acute phase to 60 days postinoculation (dpi). Our results showed persistent viral RNA, prolonged immune dysregulation, and behavioral changes that mirror key features of human PCC. Although fully reproducing PCC in animal models is inherently challenging due to its complex and heterogeneous presentation in humans, the use of complementary models with distinct phenotypes is essential for elucidating its pathophysiology. These results aim to contribute valuable insights into the biological basis of PCC and support the development of targeted preventative and therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), Golden Syrian hamster model, SARS-CoV-2 persistence, long-term neurological sequalae, anxietyrelated behavioral tests

Received: 13 Jun 2025; Accepted: 04 Aug 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Ruiz-Casas, Tarrés-Freixas, Roca, Pérez, Cantero, Martín, Olvera, Ruiz-Riol, Brander, Usai, Vergara-Alert and Segalés. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Joaquim Segalés, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Supplementary Material