The present study was undertaken with an aim of characterization of rabies virus (genus of the family under the order ) by sequencing of partial nucleoprotein (N) gene of rabies virus and phylogenetic analysis to know the genotype and lineage of rabies virus present in Gujarat state of India. A total of 32 samples (18 brain samples and 14 saliva samples) were aseptically collected from live and dead animals (viz. dog, buffalo, cow, goat, donkey and hyena) for rabies virus detection. Out of 32 samples, 24 samples were found positive by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reactions and from these 24 positive samples, 20 samples were selected for sequencing having good concentration of gene product. ClustalW alignment of nucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences of field rabies isolates revealed 95.20-100 and 97.95-100% similarity among themselves, respectively. Multiple sequence alignment of field rabies isolates and reference vaccine strains [Pasteur strain and Challenge Virus Strain (CVS)] indicated single nucleotide mutations at total 91 positions and amino acid mutations at total 17 different positions. Phylogenetic analysis of N gene sequences using our 20 field rabies isolates and 21 other reported isolates in Genbank resulted in 3 phylogenetic clusters. All the field rabies isolates showed same genetic lineage among themselves and with other earlier reported Indian rabies isolates placing them in Arctic like lineage of Genotype 1 Rabies virus. However, they were at genetic distance with reference Pasteur and CVS strains, which grouped in different phylogenetic cluster.

Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease that still constitutes a major public health problem in India. In the current study, Brucella were isolated from aborted samples and typed by both molecular and conventional techniques. A total 114 aborted samples were collected from cows and buffaloes in and around Anand district. Aborted samples were cultured on the Brucella agar medium and incubated for 24–48 h. Three samples from cow were found to be positive for Brucella. All the isolates were positive for catalase, oxidase and nitrate reduction while negative for urease reaction, indole test, VP test, motility examination and production of H2S. For the detection of Brucella DNA by PCR, three different genus-specific primer pairs viz., B4/B5, JPF/JPR, and F4/R2 were used. All three Brucella isolates were positive by B4/B5 and F4/R2, while two isolates were positive for JPF/JPR. For species-level identification of Brucella isolates were subjected to AMOS PCR and Bruce-ladder PCR, and were found to be B. abortus.