Investigation of the Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus Carrier Potential of the Philippine Carabao

Cristina  F. Legaspi,; Edna  A. Felipe,; Blesilda  C. Verin,; Rubina  O. Cresencio,; Teresita  Flores,; Angel  Tulabot,

Investigation of the Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus Carrier Potential of the Philippine Carabao

Discipline: Health

Abstract:

Three carabaos clinically diagnosed with FMD in 1995 were procured in June 1996 approximately eight (8) months after active infection. Probang samples and sera were obtained at regular intervals for two and a half years to determine the presence of persistent FMD virus.

Virus isolation in BHK-21, IBRS-2, secondary lamb kidney and primary calf thyroid cell cultures gave negative results. The antibody titers against viral structural proteins as measured by the virus neutralization test were not indicative of subclinical infection. No antibody against viral non-structural proteins was detected in the NS ELISA. These results indicate th3t the carabaos were not virus carriers at the time of the study.