Procedures for diagnostic tests on swine vesicular disease
The Commission has established certain procedures for the evaluation of the results of laboratory tests for the diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease, which must be applied by Member States as of 1 October 2000. Member States must now ensure that the confirmation of swine vesicular disease, and the differential diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease are based on the following criteria: - the detection of the clinical signs of the disease; - the detection of virus, antigen or genome in samples of epithelium tissue, vesicular fluid or feaces; - the demonstration of a specific antibody response in serum samples. National diagnostic laboratories may apply certain modifications to the laboratory tests or use different tests provided they demonstrate an equal sensitivity or specificity. The full procedures, sampling methods and criteria for evaluation are given in the Official Journal of the European Communities at the reference given below.