EN
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is the most contagious disease of mammals and has great potential for causing severe economic losses in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals. FMD is caused by a virus of the genus Aphthovirus, family Picornaviridae. Serological tests in laboratories have identified seven different serotypes as O, A, C, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3 and Asia 1. FMD is diagnosed by the virus isolation or demonstration of FMD viral antigen or nucleic acid in samples of biological specimens. The purpose of the study was to apply the isolation test in cell culture and a RT-PCR assay for the detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus in biological materials. Out of the total of 14 examined samples, 6 (42.8%) were found positive using these methods. The antigen ELISA was used for the confirmation of specificity of the isolation assay. Primary bovine thyroid cells were found the most sensitive cell culture system for the detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus, followed by secondary lamb kidney and certain IB-RS-2 cells.