The study details characterization of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates recovered from commercial poultry flocks (chicken) and wild birds (crane) of India during the time period from 1989 to 2013. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of the NDV isolates belongs to class II, genotype XIIIa and a chicken isolate (108/BAREILLY/AD-IVRI/91) was of genotype VI, where it showed diversity of 3 % from the other viruses belonging to same genotype. Another chicken isolate (75/RAMPUR/AD-IVRI/89) grouped in genotype III and showed 4 % diversity with viruses of genotype III. The crane origin NDV identified as of genotype II corresponding to the vaccine virus. This appears to be the first report about existence of genotype XIIIa and its ancestral viruses are circulating in India for the last two decades in different species of birds. Furthermore, genetically distinct viruses belonging to genotypes II, III and VI are also circulating in India.
Keywords: Fusion protein; Genetic diversity; India; Newcastle disease virus; Phylogenetic analysis; Poultry.