Transgenic hamster model recreates New World hemorrhagic fever infection

Researchers have developed a golden Syrian hamster line engineered to carry the human transferrin receptor 1 gene, creating a new small-animal model for studying New World hemorrhagic fever mammarenaviruses. The work, published in npj Viruses, addresses a long-standing obstacle in the field: the scarcity of small-animal models that faithfully reproduce the severe, life-threatening hemorrhagic fever syndrome these viruses cause in humans.

Mammarenaviruses are endemic in rodent populations worldwide, and their zoonotic transmission can lead to hemorrhagic fever. In the Americas, five New World mammarenaviruses are known to cause this syndrome. Because vaccines and antiviral therapy options remain limited, these pathogens represent a significant public health risk and, according to the authors, a threat to national security. Research into how these viruses cause disease, and into the development of effective countermeasures, has been restricted by the shortage of suitable animal models.

A key biological detail underpins the new model. The pathogenic New World mammarenaviruses use human transferrin receptor 1 as the receptor for cellular entry. The team created an hTfR1 knock-in golden Syrian hamster line and tested its susceptibility to Junín virus infection, one of the pathogenic New World mammarenaviruses. According to the study, the transgenic hamster infection model supports transferrin receptor 1-mediated entry as an essential step in Junín virus pathogenesis.

The authors report that the model provides a novel small-animal platform intended to advance the development of host receptor-directed therapies and direct-acting antivirals aimed at improving outcomes for patients with severe disease caused by pathogenic New World mammarenaviruses. The article was published under open access on 27 October 2026 and is being shared early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research; this version remains subject to further edits before the final Version of Record replaces it.

Subject of Research: Development of a human transferrin receptor 1 knock-in Syrian hamster model for New World hemorrhagic fever mammarenavirus infection

Article Title: A transgenic Syrian hamster model for New World hemorrhagic fever mammarenavirus infection

Article References: Wasson, S. R., Liu, Y., Li, M., Bailey, K. W., Westover, J. B., Landinez-Aponte, J., Van Wettere, A., Siddharthan, V., Davies, C. J., Daniels-Wells, T. R., Li, R., Penichet, M. L., Wang, Z., & Gowen, B. B. (2026). A transgenic Syrian hamster model for New World hemorrhagic fever mammarenavirus infection. npj Viruses. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44298-026-00252-y

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1038/s44298-026-00252-y

Keywords: mammarenavirus, Junín virus, hemorrhagic fever, Syrian hamster, transferrin receptor 1, animal model, transgenic, zoonotic, antiviral development, pathogenesis, npj Viruses, Syrian