An antigen capture test for the detection of cattle viremic with bovine viral diarrhoea virus--a comparison with BVD virus isolation from buffy coat cells in bovine kidney cells.

An antigen capture enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the detection of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) viral antigen in peripheral blood lymphocytes of cattle was used for the screening of 241 animals. The test used a monoclonal antibody directed against a conserved antigenic domain of a nonstructural protein (p125/p80) of pestiviruses for antigen capture. Bound antigen was detected with a pestivirus-specific polyclonal peroxidase conjugate. In parallel the samples were analysed by routine virus isolation procedures based on cell culture. Virus isolation and antigen capture EIA were positive in 54 cases. The latter test scored one additional sample.