Foot-and-mouth disease virus C3 Resende subtype analysed by means of competition RIA using neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) was analysed using 30 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) obtained from Balb/c mice immunized with FMDV C3 Resende (C3R) subtype 7 and 14 days before fusion No. 15 and 16 respectively. Fourteen MAbs were neutralizing and by means of competition radioimmuno assay it was possible to classify them into four groups. The first group consisted of MAbs specific for three sequential and three conformational epitopes. The second group consisted of MAbs specific for two conformational and for one sequential epitope. The third and the fourth groups consisted only of one MAb each, being specific for conformationally and one sequentially dependent epitope, respectively.