Presumptive identification of different Enterobacteriaceae species is routinely achieved based on biochemical properties. Traditional practice includes manual comparison of each biochem-ical property of the unknown sample with known reference samples and inference of its identity based on the maximum similarity pattern with the known samples. This process is labor-intensive, time-consuming, error-prone, and subjective. Therefore, automation of sorting and sim-ilarity in calculation would be advantageous. Here we present a MATLAB-based graphical user interface (GUI) tool named BioCluster. This tool was designed for automated clustering and iden-tification of Enterobacteriaceae based on biochemical test results. In this tool, we used two types of algorithms, i.e., traditional hierarchical clustering (HC) and the Improved Hierarchical Clustering (IHC), a modified algorithm that was developed specifically for the clustering and identification of Enterobacteriaceae species. IHC takes into account the variability in result of 1–47 biochemical tests within this Enterobacteriaceae family. This tool also provides different options to optimize the clus-tering in a user-friendly way. Using computer-generated synthetic data and some real data, we have demonstrated that BioCluster has high accuracy in clustering and identifying enterobacterial species based on biochemical test data. This tool can be freely downloaded at http://microbialgen.du.ac.bd/biocluster/.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus is a positive stand RNA virus that causes an acute vesicular disease of bovid wild and domesticated ruminants. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) comprises of 7 antigenically distinct serotypes (Type O, A, Asia 1, C and SAT1-3) that do not provide cross-protection against one another. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a pandemic disease, accounting for a global loss of 6.5-21 billion US$ per annum. The present investigation aimed at the comparison of FMDV in Bangladesh with that of circulatory types in Asian continent. Categorization, estimation and demography of FMD in Asia continent are analyzed. Comparative genome and phylogeography of the FMDV in Asia is discussed. Three serotypes of FMDV are circulating in Asian territory, including mainland Southeast Asia, South Asia and Middle East with predominance of type O, whereas Serotype A and Asia1 are found to be confined to certain geographical regions. Cattle are most susceptible to FMD, whereas Pig serves as mixing vessel that may boost the emergence and re-emergence episode of several lineages/genotypes. Whole Genome and phylogeography analysis revealed that the transboundary movement of FMDVs are responsible for spreading of this disease in Asian regions. In 2013-2015, Saudi Arabia experienced the emergence of Ind-2001 lineage under Middle East South Asia (ME-SA) topotype of FMDV type O and Genotype VII of FMDV type A, which is normally endemic in the Indian subcontinent. Intrusion of type SAT1-3 in Arabian Peninsula occurred due to transboundary animal movement from FMDV enzootic African countries. Transboundary movement of FMDV, inappropriate vaccination and inadequate awareness are the main reasons for FMD spread in most of the Asian Countries.