Diagnosis of Foot and Mouth Disease in Cattle and Buffaloes in Different Governorates of Egypt.

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease affected cloven-hoofed animals which results in substantial economic losses. The present study was aimed to detect FMDV by different serological and molecular methods in cattle and buffaloes for providing an accurate and rapid diagnosis of FMD disease. 86 samples of tongue epithelium biopsies, fluid vesicles samples and saliva, as well as 86 coagulated and uncoagulated blood samples, were collected from 64 and 22 suspected cattle and buffaloes respectively in different governorates in Egypt, during August to December 2017. Serum samples were examined by 3ABC-ELISA for differentiating between infected and non-infected animals. While tissues biopsies and un-coagulated blood samples were examined by Sandwich ELISA, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) as well as Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR). FMDV porotypes were identified by rRT-PCR in suspected cattle and buffaloes samples to FMDV serotype A, O and SAT2 and results showed that 54 samples positive for FMDV different serotypes while FMDV serotype differentiation in tissues biopsy of cattle were 18 (28.12%), 12 (18.75%), 3 (4.68 %) and 4 (6.25%). Also, the positive results of tissue samples from buffaloes examined by RTPCR were 9 (40.09 %), 4 (6.25%), 2 (9.09 %) and 2 (9.09 %) for O, SAT2, serotype A and mixed serotypes respectively by different tests. The rRT-PCR provided an accurate and rapid laboratory diagnosis of FMDV as well as RT-PCR, and 3ABCELISA were given nearly the same results. Although the rRT-PCR generated results in less than 6 h and this is an important feature when definitive diagnostic results required in a short timescale during emergencies. Also, this study demonstrated the current situation of circulation FMDV type A, O, and SAT2 serotypes in cattle and buffaloes in Egypt.