Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP): a new approach for the detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus and its sero-types in Pakistan

Successful disease management requires a rapid and sensitive diagnosis method that can recognize early infection even before the manifestation of its clinical signs. The only available field diagnostic tests for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are lateral flow devices, commonly known as chromatographic strips. Low sensitivity and inability to detect FMD virus (FMDV) at the serotype level are limitations of lateral flow devices. Therefore, a reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was standardized using universal and sero-type specific genes in a single tube. This test does not require sophisticated equipment and can detect FMDV at serotype level in about 60 min. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of this test is comparable to conventional reverse transcriptase PCR and real time PCR (rRT-PCR).