Mouse and Cotton Rat Models of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is a common respiratory virus that is usually no cause for alarm. Symptoms of hRSV usually resemble those of the common cold and can go undiagnosed. However, infants as well as the elderly are at risk for developing severe cases, which can lead to high morbidity and mortality rates especially if there are underlying health issues. Despite many years of effort, no vaccine or specific treatments exist and RSV is still the leading cause of infant hospitalizations worldwide. Here, we describe methods to infect two widely used small animal models: laboratory mice and cotton rats.