Around 450 people in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district received anti-rabies vaccines after consuming charanamrit prepared from the milk of a cow suspected of having rabies. The incident during Durga Puja raised concerns among residents about whether rabies can spread through milk, curd, buttermilk or other dairy products.
The cow, which belonged to a resident of Dadi Khas village, reportedly became unwell and later started behaving abnormally before dying on October 20. Veterinarians suspected that the animal may have been bitten by a stray dog, although rabies was not confirmed. The cow’s milk had also reportedly been supplied to local shops and households.
Can rabies spread through milk or curd?
According to India’s National Rabies Control Programme, there are no evidence-based reports of human rabies resulting from the consumption of milk or milk products. Its guidelines state that post-exposure prophylaxis is not required solely because someone has consumed milk or milk products from an animal infected with rabies.
The World Health Organization also says there is no laboratory or epidemiological evidence that rabies is transmitted through consuming milk or milk products. However, it advises against consuming milk from a rabid animal as a general precaution.
This means that eating curd, buttermilk, paneer or other products made from milk is not considered an established route of rabies transmission.
How does rabies actually spread?
Rabies is primarily transmitted through the saliva of an infected mammal. The most common route is a bite, when infected saliva enters broken skin.
The virus can also enter the body if saliva from an infected animal comes into contact with an open wound or mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose or mouth. Dogs account for up to 99% of human rabies cases globally.
Simply touching an animal does not normally constitute a rabies exposure. The important concern is direct contact with potentially infected saliva or nervous tissue.
What about boiled milk and dairy products?
The Gorakhpur case also prompted questions about whether boiling milk makes a difference. The local health authorities advised residents to boil milk thoroughly before consumption. A senior health official said the milk used to prepare the charanamrit was likely boiled before being converted into curd.
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However, the bigger point is that rabies transmission through consumption of milk itself has not been established. The National Rabies Control Programme specifically states that there are no evidence-based reports of human rabies arising from consuming milk or milk products.
Raw milk from a sick or potentially infected animal should nevertheless be avoided because it can carry other disease-causing organisms.
Why were 450 people given anti-rabies vaccines?
The vaccinations in Gorakhpur were administered as a precaution after residents became concerned about the cow’s death and possible rabies exposure. Around 50 people initially received vaccines at a community health centre, while another 400 were vaccinated during a camp organised in the village.
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Officials also clarified that the cow’s symptoms alone could not confirm rabies. Veterinary assessment and appropriate testing would be required to establish whether the animal actually had the disease.
The National Rabies Control Programme says post-exposure treatment is intended for people who have had a genuine exposure, such as a bite, scratch or contact between infected saliva and broken skin or mucous membranes.
Anyone who has actually been bitten or scratched by a suspected rabid animal should wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical care immediately. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, but timely post-exposure treatment can prevent the disease.