An epitope located at the C terminus of isolated VP1 of foot-and-mouth disease virus type O induces neutralizing activity but poor protection.

Both whole virus particles and isolated VP1 of foot-and-mouth disease virus type O1 induce neutralizing antibodies. Results obtained with pigs vaccinated with either isolated VP1 or intact particles and subsequently challenged show that neutralizing activity induced by intact virus correlates well with protection in pigs, whereas neutralizing activity induced by isolated VP1 confers little or no protection. Further evidence suggests that the epitope responsible for the induction of neutralizing antibodies by VP1 is located at the C-terminal end of the protein between residues 200 and 210.