Originally from: Bill
                        
Many thanks, Frances.

I'm not familiar with V-Scan so will have to look it up and get back to you.

The main problem with antibody testing is the time lag between infection and detectable levels of antibody in the bloodstream. With FMD the time lag is anything from 3 to 21 days. Virus can be similarly elusive, virus causing disease in organs or lymphatics isn't necessarily present in the bloodstream.

The only way to be reasonably certain is to test for both virus and antibody, but of course the cost is prohibitive and in any case there aren't sufficient trained technicians.

There is of course another alternative, do away with tests altogether and go back to the days of clinical diagnosis by the Local Authority veterinary officer. Of course the bureaucrats would never go for that, and we don't have enough vets sufficiently competant to fill the posts of veterinary officers!

There is no easy answer.

All the best,
Bill.