Author: Harish Narasimhan, Ph.D. Candidate in Immunology, University of Virginia

The long-term effects of respiratory viral infections such as COVID-19 are a major public health burden. Some estimates suggest over 65 million people around the world suffer from long COVID-19. Efforts to better understand this condition, however, have been hampered by its ability to affect multiple organ systems, such as those involving the lungs, brain and heart. This is further complicated by the lack of animal models that can sufficiently mimic the disease. Animal models, such as mice and rats, are a crucial tool that researchers use to study human diseases and develop treatment strategies. Although there are major differences…