Use of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus antigen in liquid-phase blocking ELISA

A liquid-phase blocking ELISA is used by the World Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease for the quantification of antibodies to foot-and-mouth disease virus. The potential for using inactivated FMDV antigens in the assay has been assessed by titrating bovine convalescent sera to all seven serotypes and comparing the titres obtained with live or inactivated antigens. The titres were similar indicating that either live or inactivated antigens can be used in the liquid-phase blocking ELISA. Removing the need to use live antigens in tests for FMD antibody would reduce disease security risk and widen the acceptability of kits for FMD antibody detection and assay.