Rapid FMD test hits the market
7 May 2008
A rapid on-farm test for foot-and-mouth disease has been launched by the Institute for Animal 
Health.
The hand-held device - which uses technology pioneered for home pregnancy tests - can give accurate results in ten minutes, rather than sending samples to laboratories.
An extract of a small sample of tissue taken from an animal suspected of having FMD is spotted onto the bottom of the device. This then flows up the device and a line appears if the disease is present.
Dr Nigel Ferris, who works at the IAH's Pirbright laboratory, said: "In effect, we are taking the laboratory to the farm, for on-the-spot testing to support clinical diagnosis."
The lateral flow device has been developed with Defra funding as part of the EU's Lab-on-site project (more details here).
