Detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus infection-associated antigen antibodies: comparison of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and agar gel immunodiffusion tests

A liquid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared with the standard agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) to identify and quantify antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus infection-associated (VIA) antigen. A total of 3181 cattle sera were tested. Of these sera, 1885 were from cattle which had not been exposed to FMD. A total of 1296 sera were either from cattle which were experimentally exposed to FMD virus or from cattle involved in field outbreaks. The results indicate that the ELISA has the same specificity as the AGID test, but is more efficient in detecting cattle exposed to FMD virus. The ELISA technique will probably prove to be a more satisfactory test in support of the prevention, control and eradication programs for the disease.