KAMALOVA, A.V. KAN’HINA, A.M. TIMINA Federal Centre for Animal Health, FGBU «VNIIZZh», mkr. <...> Yur’evets, Vadimir, 600901 Russia, e-mail afonina@arriah.ru, kamalova@arriah.ru, kanshina@arriah.ru, timina@arriah.ru Received March 31, 2014 Abstract In Russia the preventive vaccination dominates over other protective and preventive measures against foot and mouth disease (FMD). <...> However, the development of the subclinical infection in immune animals should not be ruled out as these animals become virus carriers and pose a potential threat for susceptible animal population. <...> Therefore, the design and reduction to practice of tests for identification of virus-carrier animals continues to be relevant. <...> Secretory immunoglobulins A (sIgA) provide the first line of protection against many infectious agents, they are capable of inhibiting virus intracellular replication and serve as a transmitter of virus neutralization. <...> As reported by foreign authors there is a possibility to identify virus-carrier animals using a rapid ELISA-based test detecting secretory IgA (sIgA-ELISA). <...> Previously we determined sIgA-ELISA optimal conditions for detection virus-specific sIgA in saliva samples in one dilution. <...> In the given paper results of validation and evaluation of the sIgA-ELISA test-system («sandwich» ELISA) are shown as compared with other laboratory methods. <...> The paper presents data on testing bovine biological samples (96 animals with body weight of 200-300 kg at the age of 18-24 months) from FMD-free agricultural enterprises (Vladimir Oblast) collected before and after vaccination from animals, immunized with different batches of FMD vaccine and subject to experimental esopharyngeal infection. <...> Samples of saliva, blood sera and fluid collected with an interval of 3-4 days and up to 94 days after infection were tested using sIgA-ELISA, NP-ELISA (detection of antibodies to virus nonstructural proteins), microneutralization test and Real-Time PCR. <...> Besides, relative sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the test was evaluated using formulae recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and compared with results of a reference test conducted by Satya Parida (World Reference Laboratory for Foot and Mouth Disease — WRL, Pirbright Institute, Great Britain) according to a validated method. <...> Out of five preliminary immunized and then infected animals without clinical signs one animal (¹ 8895) demonstrated the presence of sIgA in saliva in sIgA-ELISA <...>