Western blot analysis of virus-specific antibody responses for capripox and contagious pustular dermatitis viral infections in sheep.

This paper reports the development and evaluation of serological tests for the differentiation of antibodies in animals infected with capripox and parapox viruses. Agar-gel immunodiffusion tests using sera from sheep with naturally-acquired infections and from sheep experimentally inoculated with orf or capripox viruses showed cross reactions. Virus-specific antibody responses to structural proteins of the viruses were analysed by Western-blot analysis. This analysis readily differentiated the infections as either capripox or contagious pustular dermatitis. The antibody responses to the 32 kDa and 26 kDa proteins of capripoxvirus provided a firm basis for differentiation.