Animal models of lung infection and severe pneumonia by severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East
respiratory syndrome cornavirus (MERS-CoV) are still lacking. In this
issue, acute pneumonia and severe lung injuries were successfully
induced in C57BL/6 mice by the hepatic and neuronal tropic murine
coronavirus A-59 (MHV-A59) via intranasal infection. Pathological
changes of viral infection were closely monitored, and innate immune
responses were studied. The cover image illustrates hemorrhages in
the small blood vessels of the mouse lung infected with 1.5 x 105 PFU
of MHV-A59 at day 5 post infection. See page 393–402 by Zhangsheng
Yang et al. for details.