A PCR assay for the detection and characterization of foot-and-mouth d
isease virus was developed. The procedure allows RT-PCR amplification
following direct adsorption of viral suspensions to microtiter plates,
avoiding previous steps of phenol-extraction or heating. Using this p
rocedure, FMDV-specific (based on 3D gene sequences), as well as serot
ype-specific (based on VP1 gene sequences) amplification were achieved
for viral samples of serotypes A, O and C, either from cell culture s
upernatants or from lesions of infected animals. The assay allowed det
ection of around 15 PFU, being 500-fold more sensitive than a conventi
onal indirect ELISA. This new method constitutes a simple, rapid and e
fficient alternative for the diagnosis and characterization of FMDV by
PCR.