Abstract
In humans, infection with the coronavirus, especially the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the emerging Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), induces acute respiratory failure, resulting in high mortality. Irregular coronavirus related epidemics indicate that the evolutionary origins of these two pathogens need to be identified urgently and there are still questions related to suitable laboratory animal models. Thus, in this review we aim to highlight key discoveries concerning the animal origin of the virus and summarize and compare current animal models.