Arctic-like lineage of rabies virus detected in Indian wild fox: a case study

Rabies is a viral disease affecting both land-dwelling and flying mammals. In India, dogs have been the primary source of rabies. This study aimed to investigate the role of wild animals in the transmission and persistence of the rabies virus and analyse the viral genome to understand its characteristics. In the present study, a brain sample from a fox (Vulpes vulpes) found dead in the free-ranging area of Mannamangalam forest station, Thrissur, Kerala state, India, was collected for rabies screening by fluorescent antibody staining and molecular techniques. Viral proteins and nucleic acids were detected and the samples were subsequently analyzed using next-generation sequencing for characterization. The genome analysis revealed that the virus belonged to the type I genotype of the arctic-like lineage. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the fox virus strain shared close homology with all Indian isolates irrespective of the host species and was clustered in the same arctic-like lineage, denoting the distribution of a similar lineage and genotype across all regions of India. The deduced amino acid variations of nucleoprotein and glycoprotein genes also revealed a pattern of similarity amongst isolates of Indian origin and differed from isolates of other geographical locations and lineages. This study based on genome-wide surveillance could offer novel insights into the genetic makeup of currently circulating strains in the human-wildlife conflict and their continuing spread and persistence of rabies.