Fig. 3
Evaluation of histopathological and immunological parameters in SCV2-challenged hamster groups (A–F) at multiple time points. (a) The animal study timeline shows vaccination, booster, and challenge schedules alongside sampling points. (b–d) Lung histopathology scores on days 33, 36, and 39 post-challenge: Group A consistently demonstrated the least tissue damage, with the lowest histopathological scores, while Group B (control) exhibited the most severe pathology. (e–f) Neutralizing antibody titers (FRNT50) before and after booster vaccination (days 14 and 30) and post-challenge (days 33, 36, and 39), highlighting robust immune responses in Groups A and F. (g) Real-time PCR CT values for viral titers in lung tissue on days 3, 6, and 9 post-challenge: Higher CT values in Groups A and F reflect effective viral control, with Group B displaying the lowest CT values and highest viral loads. (h) Viral titers (TCID50) in lung tissue at days 3, 6, and 9 post-challenge: Group A showed the lowest titers, demonstrating superior viral suppression compared to other groups. Abbreviations: CT – Cycle Threshold; FRNT50 – Focus Reduction Neutralization Test, 50% endpoint; TCID50 – Tissue Culture Infectious Dose, 50% endpoint. Each circle represents an individual data point, while error bars (mean ± SD or SEM) depict data variation within each group. Statistical tests assessed significant differences between groups across time points.
