Debby van Riel
@debbyvanriel.bsky.social
Associate Professor ○ Viroscience ○ Erasmus MC ○ The Netherlands
Virology • Influenza • Enterovirus • SARS-CoV-2 • Pathogenesis • neuropathogenesis • Pathology • WomeninSTEM
Virology • Influenza • Enterovirus • SARS-CoV-2 • Pathogenesis • neuropathogenesis • Pathology • WomeninSTEM
Feline Benavides has been the driving force behind this work! Thanks to @lisabauervirus.bsky.social, @thijskuiken.bsky.social, Lonneke, Edwin, Peter, Rory and Katy.
@marionkoopmans.bsky.social
@marionkoopmans.bsky.social
April 8, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Feline Benavides has been the driving force behind this work! Thanks to @lisabauervirus.bsky.social, @thijskuiken.bsky.social, Lonneke, Edwin, Peter, Rory and Katy.
@marionkoopmans.bsky.social
@marionkoopmans.bsky.social
Altogether, we show that a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers subtle (but insidious?) changes in the brains of ferrets in the acute and post-acute phase of the infection. It is time that we start developing methods to study the functional consequences of these changes!
April 8, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Altogether, we show that a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers subtle (but insidious?) changes in the brains of ferrets in the acute and post-acute phase of the infection. It is time that we start developing methods to study the functional consequences of these changes!
Decreased astrocyte activation has not been reported before, but activation has been shown in hamsters (PMID: 35388072). Alzheimer type II astrocytes have been detected in the brain of a COVID-19 patient with an meningoencephalitis (PMID: 33937731).
April 8, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Decreased astrocyte activation has not been reported before, but activation has been shown in hamsters (PMID: 35388072). Alzheimer type II astrocytes have been detected in the brain of a COVID-19 patient with an meningoencephalitis (PMID: 33937731).
Increased microglial activation has been detected in patients and experimentally inoculated hamsters and mice (with severe disease). Microglia help maintaining brain homeostasis, synapse formation, neuronal proliferation, etc.. Dysregulation can impact learning and memory.
April 8, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Increased microglial activation has been detected in patients and experimentally inoculated hamsters and mice (with severe disease). Microglia help maintaining brain homeostasis, synapse formation, neuronal proliferation, etc.. Dysregulation can impact learning and memory.
What does this mean? Even though we did not find strong evidence for neuroinvasion (high ct values, no virus antigen in brain) we did detect microglial activations, a decrease in astrocytic activation and an increase of Alzheimer type II astrocytes in parts of the brain.
April 8, 2025 at 9:17 AM
What does this mean? Even though we did not find strong evidence for neuroinvasion (high ct values, no virus antigen in brain) we did detect microglial activations, a decrease in astrocytic activation and an increase of Alzheimer type II astrocytes in parts of the brain.
In the white matter of the cerebral cortex and the CA1 region of the hippocampus there was a decrease in the GFAP+ surface area (decrease of astrocyte actication). In the hippocampus this was associated with an increase of IBA1+ surface area.
April 8, 2025 at 9:17 AM
In the white matter of the cerebral cortex and the CA1 region of the hippocampus there was a decrease in the GFAP+ surface area (decrease of astrocyte actication). In the hippocampus this was associated with an increase of IBA1+ surface area.
In the olfactory bulb there was no evidence for an increase of microglia compared to mock inoculated ferrets, although the surface area of IBA1+ cells was increased (suggestive for microglial activation). There was no increase of astrocytes.
April 8, 2025 at 9:16 AM
In the olfactory bulb there was no evidence for an increase of microglia compared to mock inoculated ferrets, although the surface area of IBA1+ cells was increased (suggestive for microglial activation). There was no increase of astrocytes.
In the brain we did not detect histological changes associated with inflammation, gliosis or necrosis. However, we did detect an increase of Alzheimer type II astrocytes in the pons and cerebellum at 7 and 21 dpi compared to mock inoculated ferrets.
April 8, 2025 at 9:16 AM
In the brain we did not detect histological changes associated with inflammation, gliosis or necrosis. However, we did detect an increase of Alzheimer type II astrocytes in the pons and cerebellum at 7 and 21 dpi compared to mock inoculated ferrets.
From intranasally inoculated ferrets, noses and brains were collected 7 and 21 days post inoculation (dpi). Virus antigen was detected sporadically in the nose at 7 dpi in respiratory and olfactory mucosa. In the brain we only detected viral RNA at 7 dpi, with high ct values.
April 8, 2025 at 9:15 AM
From intranasally inoculated ferrets, noses and brains were collected 7 and 21 days post inoculation (dpi). Virus antigen was detected sporadically in the nose at 7 dpi in respiratory and olfactory mucosa. In the brain we only detected viral RNA at 7 dpi, with high ct values.