This is not quite an "applied" research, but it is good to know that such technologies are being evaluated and therefore available for "commercial" use soon:

A multiplex method for the simultaneous serological detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and porcine circovirus type 2.

Lin K, Wang C, Murtaugh MP, Ramamoorthy S.

Source

Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.

Abstract

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) are major contributors to the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Routine serological diagnosis and surveillance play an important role in the prevention of PRDC as it is a leading cause of economic losses to the swine industry. We herein describe an advanced microsphere-based immunoassay that permits the simultaneous detection of antibodies to PCV2 and PRRSV; thereby reducing the time and effort involved in testing. Recombinant PRRSV N protein antigen and the PCV2 capsid antigen were coupled to fluorophore dyed beads with distinct spectral addresses. Weekly sera samples from 72 pigs that were experimentally exposed to either PCV2, PRRSV or both PCV2 and PRRSV were used to validate the microbead assay (MBA) in comparison with the gold-standard ELISAs. The kinetics of the PCV2 and PRRSV-specific antibody responses as measured by the microbead assay was comparable to those of the standard assays; Spearman's Rank correlation was 0.72 (p<0.001) for PRRSV and 0.80 (p<0.001) for PCV2. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were determined using field sera whose positive or negative status was determined by the standard tests. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were both 98% for PCV2 and were 91% and 93% for PRRSV (Kappa coefficient: 0.85 and 0.67 for PCV2 and PRRSV respectively). Multiplexing did not interfere with assay performance or diagnostic sensitivity. Therefore, the described study demonstrates proof of concept for the development of more versatile and economical microbead array based multiplex serological test panels for veterinary use.

Reference:
Lin K, Wang C, Murtaugh M P, Ramamoorthy S. A multiplex method for the simultaneous serological detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and porcine circovirus type 2. Journal of clinical microbiology 2011 [accepted]