Secretory antibody responses in cattle infected with foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Antibody responses in serum, saliva, nasal secretions, or esophageal-pharyngeal fluid of foot-and-mouth disease virus-infected steers were examined by single radial immunodiffusion and mouse-neutralization tests. In steers infected with type O foot-and-mouth disease virus, high serum antibody titers were detected within 10 days after infection. Antibody was first detected in saliva at 30 days and gradually increased to a plateau at about 90 days. Small amounts of antibody continued to be secreted in saliva and in nasal secretions for at least 6 months. Antibody was not detected in esophageal-pharyngeal fluid. The major antibody activity in secretions was due to secretory immunoglobulin A as revealed by radioimmunoelectrophoresis.