Diagnosis and molecular phylogeny of rabies virus obtained from an Indian wolf

Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by rabies virus. The study was aimed at diagnosis and genetic characterization of wild rabies virus obtained from an Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes). The brain of a six year old wolf form Bagalkot, Karnataka was found positive for rabies virus by fluorescent antibody test and RT-PCR. The sequence analysis targeting N gene revealed that the virus belonged to classical rabies virus genotype and was closely related to other south Indian rabies virus isolates from other species suggestive of species spill over during the processes of virus evolution.