Characterization of bronchiolitis and vaccine-induced enhanced respiratory disease in Syrian hamsters caused by respiratory syncytial virus infection

This dataset comprises experimental records from a controlled laboratory study of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) , and induced enhanced respiratory disease (ERD)following immunization with heat-inactivated RSV (HI-RSV). Data on RSV infection were collected from three age groups (neonatal: 3 days old; adult: 6–8 weeks old; old: 70–80 weeks old), with 5–6 animals in each group. Data on immunization were collected from old hamsters immunized with HI-RSV (HI-RSV), heated non-infected Hep-2 cell lysate (mock), or aluminium adjuvant with PBS (PBS), before infection with RSV (5–6 animals in each group). Additionally, 70–80-week-old BALB/c mice and 6–8-week-old cotton rats were infected with RSV, and data were obtained from these infections (3-6 animals in each group). The package includes: Clinical indicators: Daily percentage change in body weight and standardised clinical symptom scores (scale 0–3). Viral replication data: Lung viral load quantified by TaqMan probe-based qPCR (standard curve method; copies/μg RNA), Viral titres from lung homogenates (TCID₅₀/g; measured in HEp-2 cells). Haematology: Complete blood counts (CBC) with differentials (WBC, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils). Histopathology: Semi-quantitative scores (grade 0–4) of lung inflammation, necrosis and peribronchiolar infiltration from haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections. All procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Peking Union Medical College (ILAS, PUMC) (LJN-23005). This resource supports research on RSV pathogenesis, age-dependent immune responses, and the evaluation of vaccine efficacy.