Use of an Antibody ELISA to Non-structural FMD Protein for Control and Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Developing Countries


Objective:

To develop and standardize assays which can differentiate between foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) infected and vaccinated livestock.

Activities:

Research will focus on use of expressed products from non-structural genes of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus. Such products, from various sources, supplied through research agreement holders, will be used in various assay formats and in various combinations to allow discrimination of animals which have either been vaccinated against FMD or have recovered from infection. This will lead to a universally recognized standardized assay which is vital to assess the true immune status of large areas in the World in South America, Africa and Asia, who are in various stages of controlling the disease. The Research Contract holders will represent this geographical spread.

The first phase will involve agreement as to the best reagents and format based on a large amount of data available from research in Europe, and North and South America. The supply of reagents and experimental designs for comparative work using locally obtained serum samples representing varied epidemiological niches, will be finalised. Comparative testing in a number of laboratories should allow a rapid assessment of test performance to be obtained. The second phase will be to produce a completely field validated and standardised method which will be available to all laboratories and which is Internationally accepted. This test has important repercussions to trade in animals and animal products and is urgently required to allow confidence in assessing the true immune status of animals, particularly where vaccination against FMD is being maintained in the clinical absence of disease.

Participants:

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Reports:

Project Officer:

J.Crowther