The detection and differentiation of foot-and-mouth disease viruses using solid-phase nucleic acid hybridization

Thirteen complementary DNA (cDNA) probes were used to detect the presence of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) RNA extracted from cell cultures. When labelled with 32P, these probes enabled the detection of 1 pg of FMDV-RNA, or 1 virus copy per cell. Two FMDV A12 probes that coded for the leader, structural protein VP1 region and part of the polymerase gene respectively, showed no hybridization with other closely related picornaviruses. Differentiation between FMDV serotypes A, O and C was possible, using cDNA probes from individual serotypes that corresponded to structural protein VP1.