CLAIM:
Rabies can spread through the milk of an infected, rabid cattle.
FACT:
There are no evidence-based report of rabies spreading through milk, even if the animal is infected. Medical and veterinary experts say rabies is transmitted almost exclusively through the saliva of an infected animal—typically via bites—and not through milk.
Earlier this week, panic gripped the Piprauli village in Uttar Pradesh's Budaun district, after people learned that the raita served at a funeral was made from the milk of a buffalo that had been bitten by a dog. The buffalo had died after the event of suspected rabies, and villagers quickly rushed to get anti-rabies shots themselves, as they were worried that they could be exposed to the virus as well.
This is not the first such incident in recent years, where people were concerned about contracting the severe, but preventable, viral disease by consuming the milk of a suspected rabid animal. Last month, in Gorakhpur’s Ramdih village, panic erupted after a cow reportedly infected with rabies died shortly after its milk was used to prepare panchamrit during a religious ceremony.
According to villagers, nearly 200 people consumed the sacred mixture, raising fears that they may have been exposed to rabies through the infected cow’s milk. Before that, in March, a woman's death in Delhi-NCR was attributed to the alleged consumption of milk from a rabid animal.
These repeated incidents have raised alarm among many, with people wondering if it is safe to consume the milk of a rabid animal and if rabies can spread through milk.
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How does rabies spread?
Rabies is a viral infection that is preventable with the right interventions, but can turn severe if not addressed promptly. According to the National Rabies Control Program, it spreads in very specific ways. "When a person is bitten or scratched by an animal that has rabies, the virus can enter their body through the saliva of the infected animal. The virus can also infect a person if the animal licks an open wound, a cut, or the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose," it says, highlighting that it is the saliva that is the main source of its spread.
This was echoed by Dr Rutuparna Ambegaonkargupte, Chief Veterinarian at The Wagging Tails Pet Clinic, Pune, who told First Check that “Rabies spreads only through saliva."
So can Rabies spread through milk?
Dr Ambegaonkargupte assures that fears of rabies spreading through milk are scientifically unfounded. "For the virus to pass into the bloodstream and then come out through milk—that’s not really possible,” she said.
She clarified that while animals such as cows or buffaloes can contract rabies if bitten by a rabid dog, their milk does not become a vehicle for transmission. “Yes, a buffalo or cow can get rabies if it is bitten by a dog infected with rabies. But even if the buffalo gets rabies, it’s not that its milk will be able to pass on the virus,” she explained.
With her tongue in cheek, she suggested that the real risk arises only if the infected buffalo had bitten a human, allowing saliva to enter broken skin.
The National Rabies Control Program also suggests that while dogs are responsible for about 99 per cent of rabies cases in humans, "In animals where biting is not common, such as cattle and buffalo, transmission can still occur through exposure to saliva. Care should be taken while examining sick animals that are salivating."
Echoing this view, Dr Gita Prakash, a general physician based in Delhi, said fears around milk-based rabies transmission are largely misplaced. “Very very unlikely,” Dr Prakash said, stressing that rabies does not spread that way.
No documented evidence of milk-based transmission
Dr Gupta said that there are no recorded cases or scientific studies showing rabies transmission through milk consumption. “Not as far as I’m aware,” she said when asked if there have been documented cases of milk spreading through milk.
This is echoed by the National Rabies Control Program, too, which reassures that the virus is most commonly transferred through saliva. "There are no evidence-based reports of human rabies arising from consumption of milk, including breastmilk, or cooked meat," it said, while also warning that "However, consuming the meat or milk of a rabid animal is strongly discouraged."
But what about the 1999 CDC report that says it is theoretically possible?
Sceptics often cite a 1999 report on the official website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which lists two separate incidents where people were given post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) vaccines after drinking the milk of rabid cows, and says that "Transmission of rabies virus in unpasteurized milk is theoretically possible."
However, it is important to note that in both cases, first of all, the milk and mammary tissue from the cows were not tested for the presence of rabies. So it is not entirely confirmed if the rabies virus had shed into the milk or not.
Second, in both incidents, the people had consumed raw, unpasteurised milk. The CDC itself claims, "Regardless of the amount of viable rabies virus that may be shed in cows' milk, the theoretical risk for transmission of rabies from this route can be eliminated if all dairy products are pasteurized before consumption."
This was highlighted by the experts First Check consulted with as well, who highlighted that even if not entirely pasteurised, common Indian practices like boiling the milk reduce any risk substantially.
Even in a hypothetical scenario where viral particles were present, Dr Gupta stressed that common Indian household practices make transmission virtually impossible. “The rabies virus is not stable beyond temperatures of 45–50 degrees Celsius. Once you heat or boil the milk—even if there was some virus—it would be destroyed,” she said.
She added that pasteurisation, which involves even higher temperatures, further eliminates any remote possibility of viral survival. “If the milk is pasteurised or boiled—as is done in most Indian homes—then even the slim theoretical chance is gone,” Dr Gupta explained.
Dr Prakash agreed, calling transmission through cooked or boiled milk very unlikely. “Even theoretically, if something entered the milk, once it’s boiled, that chance becomes negligible,” she said.
So why were the villagers vaccinated?
Media reports suggest that close to 200 people were vaccinated in the latest incident in the Budaun district. Similarly, in Gorakhpur as well, close to 200 people were vaccinated. This seems to have been done in an abundance of caution, as public health officials often take a precautionary approach in mass exposure events to prevent panic and ensure safety. However, experts say vaccination advice in this case should not be interpreted as confirmation of milk-based transmission.
This was reflected in the current case, as the Chief Medical Officer Dr Rameshwar Mishra, was reported as saying that "Normally, there is no risk of rabies after boiling the milk, but the vaccination was done to prevent any potential risk."
Even the 1999 CDC report says that "Because of the nearly 100% case-fatality ratio of human rabies and the virtually complete effectiveness of PEP, many mass exposure incidents prompt administration of rabies immune globulin and vaccine, even if the circumstances do not meet the criteria for exposure."
In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that one does not even need to take vaccines after consuming the milk of a rabid animal. “There is no laboratory or epidemiological evidence to show that rabies is transmitted via the consumption of milk or milk products. Therefore, PEP is not required for consuming any milk or milk products,” it says in response to the question.
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.
