Diagnosis of Vesicular Diseases Group

We work on three viruses (exotic to the UK) that cause vesicles (blisters) in affected animals: foot-and-mouth disease (FMD; of cloven-footed animals); swine vesicular disease (SVD); and vesicular stomatitis (VS; of equines). In addition to contributing to the Reference Laboratories in IAH that deliver diagnostic services for these viruses, we refine and develop new diagnostic tests for these viruses.

In collaboration with a commercial company we have developed prototype lateral flow devices with which to detect FMD virus (FMDV). We are doing further development work on this, and on similar devices for detection of SVD virus and VS virus.

A cell surface protein called integrin avb6 is able to bind all seven serotypes of FMDV. One of the ways in which we are taking advantage of this phenomenon is by developing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for the presence of FMDV particles in which the plastic plates are coated with recombinant integrin avb6. Virus present in field samples e.g. from blisters in the mouth, will bind to the integrin coating, after which the virus would be detected and serotyped by a panel of type-specific monoclonal antibodies.