The victim had no idea the cow was infected with rabies when she drank the milk. She began showing symptoms shortly after, but her family was initially unaware of what the cause of her distressing side effects were
A woman has died after contracting rabies after drinking milk from an infected cow in a rare case of animal-to-human transmission that has shocked her community. The victim, who has not been named, lived in the Uttar Pradesh region of India and had no idea the cow had the disease when she drank the milk. She began showing symptoms shortly after, but her family was initially unaware of what the cause of her distressing side effects were.
Reports from the local media indicate a stray dog had bitten the cow, leading to the larger farm animal falling ill. The cow was also displaying signs of the disease and received immunisation.
But the woman was turned away from several hospitals as her family tried to get her help and a diagnosis. She died shortly after being advised by doctors at the district hospital to return home. The family and other locals regularly consumed the cow’s milk.
Following confirmation of the infection, at least 10 villages in the area have been given post-exposure rabies vaccinations.
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Dr Srinivas Janam, a consultant physician at DHEE Hospitals, explained that the rabies virus belongs to the Lyssavirus genus in the Rhabdoviridae family.
This viral zoonotic illness is the cause of rabies, highlighting the importance of raising awareness about the risks associated with animal-to-human transmission.
Dr Janam said: “Once clinical symptoms of rabies appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
Rabies affects the central nervous system (CNS), causing progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.”
The rabies virus is primarily transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals, most commonly dogs, but can also be spread to bats, foxes, raccoons, and other mammals.
Dr Janam added that cow’s milk typically does not carry the rabies virus. The virus may be present in secretions like saliva or potentially milk only in rare instances when a cow has rabies, particularly in the later stages of the illness.
“Rabies is not considered a food-borne disease, and transmission through milk, especially pasteurised milk, has not been documented in scientific literature,” he added.
While consuming raw milk from a rabid animal may pose a theoretical risk, it is not a confirmed method of transmission according to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.