RESUMO
A set of primers amplified the VP1 gene of foot-and-mouth disease vims (FMDV) was designed and synthesized. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique detected the RNA of FMDV was established after selecting the best purification method, reagents and reaction conditions. Samples of fresh milk, lymph node, spinal cord, vesicular skin, milk powder, cotton swab, mouse and meat in daughter-house were detected by RT-PCR, positive rates were41.4% (24/58), 13.33% (2/15), 20% (1/5), 100% (1/1), 100% (1/1), 37.5% (12/32), 100% (2/2) and 10% - 70%, respectively. However, positive rate of cockroach detected by RT-PCR was 0. The results showed that the established FMDV RT-PCR technique provided a more sensitive, specific and reliable method for diagnosis and epizootic study of the foot-and-mouth disease.