Publication date: Dec 07, 2024

The CAST/EiJ mouse, part of a research panel including eight genetically diverse mouse strains, stands out for its severe response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, including beta, omicron, and delta variants. While other strains either recovered or showed mild symptoms, the CAST mice displayed acute illness, highlighting their unique susceptibility to the virus. As new variants continue to emerge, the CAST mouse model stands ready to accelerate a response, providing insights that could ultimately save lives. Initial trials using antiviral treatments have shown promising results, boosting survival rates in CAST mice and sparking hope for their role in developing therapies for future coronavirus outbreaks. This unique strain offers researchers a model that closely parallels the human response to the virus without brain infection-an issue in previous models of COVID-19. Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory and Trudeau Institute have identified the first mouse strain that is susceptible to severe COVID-19 without the need for genetic modification. While the CAST mice didn’t recover, some strains did but displayed lingering symptoms resembling long-COVID.

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