Roadmap for the development of diagnostic tests for FMD

What are we trying to achieve and why? What is the problem we are trying to solve?

To identify the mechanisms operating in immune animals, establishing the role and timing of antibodies and cell mediate immune responses to FMDV infection.

What are the scientific and technological challenges
(knowledge gaps needing to be addressed)?

• Investigate the immune response in target animals

What else needs to be done before we can solve this need?

• Improve understanding of host virus interaction.
• Genome sequence of various FMDV isolates.

Existing knowledge including successes and failures

Recent studies have shed light on the mechanisms underlying formation of the bovine B- and T-cell response; there is also a greater understanding of the significance of non-neutralising antibodies during FMDV infection and the interactions of antibody-bound virus with immune cells.