Evaluation of Marburg Virus Medical Countermeasures in Guinea Pigs.

Various animal models have been established to gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVV), and to develop medical countermeasures (MCMs) against them. Of these models, which range from rodents to nonhuman primates (NHPs), the macaque model most closely mimics the severe disease displayed in humans. Nevertheless, rodent models mirror many key aspects of human infection and are frequently used for the initial assessment of experimental vaccines and treatments. Due to the less restrictive housing and husbandry requirements for these models, large-scale experiments can be performed to evaluate a number of test articles and/or dosing regimens.Adaptation of MARV and RAVV by serial passaging is necessary to cause disease in immunocompetent rodent species. While mice provide limited predictive value of vaccine and therapeutic efficacy against these viruses, guinea pigs have emerged as a dependable indicator of outcomes in late-stage NHP testing. Additionally, the larger size of guinea pigs compared to mice permits more frequent and substantial blood sample collection. This chapter outlines the essential procedures to conduct intraperitoneal challenge, blood collection, and the administration of MCMs in MARV and RAVV guinea pig models using biosafety level 4 practices.