Infection of Hantaan virus strain AA57 leading to pulmonary disease in laboratory mice

► We describe the establishment of a new animal model of human hantavirus infection. ► Hantaan virus strain AA57 causes a lethal pulmonary disease in 2-week-old ICR mice. ► A large volume of pleural effusion was collected from the dead AA57-infected mice. ► The highest virus and pathologic changes were observed in the lungs of sick mice. ► The symptoms of this mouse model are similar to those of human hantavirus infection.