Detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus in milk samples by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction: Optimisation and evaluation of a high-throughput screening method with potential for disease surveillance

Abstract

HighlightsFMDV was detected by rRT-PCR in milk up to 28 days post contact challenge.FMDV was detected in milk collected from infected farms in the field (UK 2007).FMDV detection was possible when a milk sample was diluted up to 10−7 in negative milk.Pooled milk has the potential to be a valuable sample type for FMDV surveillance.

Opportunities for enhanced surveillance of foot‐and‐mouth disease in endemic settings using milk samples

“…This could be due to poor farmer recognition of clinical signs, lack of disease reporting, or sample contamination (as discussed above). Alternatively, these results may indicate that FMDV can be detected in milk samples during the pre‐clinical or convalescence phases of infection, as reported previously (Armson et al., ; Blackwell & McKercher, ; Reid et al., ), or even during subclinical infection.…”

“…Alternatively, these results may indicate that FMDV can be detected in milk samples during the pre-clinical or convalescence phases of infection, as reported previously (Armson et al, 2018;Blackwell & McKercher, 1982;Reid et al, 2006), or even during subclinical infection.…”

“…However, only a small number of studies have described the detection of FMDV RNA in milk from naturally‐infected animals. These include FMDV detection in milk during the 2007 FMD outbreak in the United Kingdom (Armson et al., ), in cattle and buffaloes in Pakistan (Ahmed et al., ; Saeed et al., ) and in cattle in India (Ranjan et al., ). The limited milk samples used in these studies were collected either as an additional sample type to validate molecular assays, or to investigate the possible role of milk in FMDV transmission; nonetheless these studies provide useful evidence that FMDV RNA can be detected and typed by rRT‐PCR, in milk from naturally infected animals.…”

“…Milk is routinely collected from dairy farms, and has been exploited as a surveillance tool for the detection of other diseases of veterinary importance, for example bovine viral diarrhoea, border disease and bluetongue (Beaudeau et al, 2001;Berriatua et al, 2006;Kramps, van Maanen, Mars, Popma, & van Rijn, 2008). It has been demonstrated that the mammary gland is a highly susceptible organ for FMDV replication, and that during infection, FMDV RNA can be detected in milk by rRT-PCR before, during and after the appearance of clinical signs (Armson et al, 2018;Blackwell & McKercher, 1982;Burrows, Mann, Greig, Chapman, & , 1971;Reid et al, 2006). However, only a small number of studies have described the detection of FMDV RNA in milk from naturally-infected animals.…”

Utilizing milk from pooling facilities as a novel approach for foot‐and‐mouth disease surveillance

“…The potential for applying this approach for the detection and surveillance of FMDV has been identified in previous studies. For example, detection of FMDV RNA has been demonstrated at a dilution of up to 10 −7 , and assuming a negligible reduction in milk yield, it could theoretically be possible to identify one acutely infected milking cow in a herd of up to 1,000 using pooled milk sampling (Armson et al, 2018). Additionally, simulation modelling (Garner et al, 2016;Kompas et al, 2017;Thurmond & Perez, 2006) suggested pooled milk could be a useful tool in enhancing a surveillance system for FMD and considered for regional FMD surveillance.…”