An ELISA optimized for porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus detection in faeces

Monoclonal antibodies to porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) membrane protein M were prepared and used for the comparative assessment of three blocking ELISA variants to detect PEDV. The competitive blocking ELISA (CB-ELISA) format showed the highest sensitivity, allowing detection of 102.5 plaque-forming units of PEDV/ml in culture medium. Its specificity was verified by inclusion of control samples containing transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and rotavirus A in each analysis. Eighty porcine field samples of faeces obtained from 38 herds affected with diarrhoea were examined, and PEDV was found in 15 (19%) samples from 6 (16%) herds. The suitability of the CB-ELISA for the screening herds in epizootiologic situations is discussed.