Influenza A and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus co-infection in rhesus macaques - A model of severe pneumonia.

•Intra-bronchial influenza induced severe pneumonia in nonhuman primates.•Bacterial co-infection induced worse lung histopathology than influenza alone.•Peak illness was manifested by bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and hypoxemia.•Radiographic and physiologic findings correlated with severe human infection.•This model may serve to evaluate vaccines and therapies for severe influenza.