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Can Rabies Spread Though Milk Of Infected Buffalo?
Dear sir, A rabies infected dog bite a buffalo in June, 2012 and that buffalo died recently in January, 2013. In the meantime many people drank milk from that buffalo. Now people are very panic. Please let me know does rabies spread though milk of infected cow/buffalo? Please reply with all details as it concerns many people. Best regards, Saurabh
Thu, 31 Jan 2013
User's Response
Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta's
Response
Hello,
The rabies virus is inactivated by heat and consumption of cooked meat and/or pasteurized milk from a rabies positive animal is not considered a rabies exposure. It is however, theoretically possible for the rabies virus to be shed in milk and there are studies underway to isolate the rabies virus from udders of cattle that have died from rabies. Until that mode of transmission is fully proven or disproven, drinking unpasteurized milk from a rabid cow or buffalo should be avoided since it is considered a rabies exposure.
Since all most everybody drinks milk after boiling it,the chances of rabies are as good as nil.
Thanks
The rabies virus is inactivated by heat and consumption of cooked meat and/or pasteurized milk from a rabies positive animal is not considered a rabies exposure. It is however, theoretically possible for the rabies virus to be shed in milk and there are studies underway to isolate the rabies virus from udders of cattle that have died from rabies. Until that mode of transmission is fully proven or disproven, drinking unpasteurized milk from a rabid cow or buffalo should be avoided since it is considered a rabies exposure.
Since all most everybody drinks milk after boiling it,the chances of rabies are as good as nil.
Thanks
User's Response
Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta's
Response
Hello,
The rabies virus is inactivated by heat and consumption of cooked meat and/or pasteurized milk from a rabies positive animal is not considered a rabies exposure. It is however, theoretically possible for the rabies virus to be shed in milk and there are studies underway to isolate the rabies virus from udders of cattle that have died from rabies. Until that mode of transmission is fully proven or disproven, drinking unpasteurized milk from a rabid cow or buffalo should be avoided since it is considered a rabies exposure.
Since all most everybody drinks milk after boiling it,the chances of rabies are as good as nil.
Thanks
The rabies virus is inactivated by heat and consumption of cooked meat and/or pasteurized milk from a rabies positive animal is not considered a rabies exposure. It is however, theoretically possible for the rabies virus to be shed in milk and there are studies underway to isolate the rabies virus from udders of cattle that have died from rabies. Until that mode of transmission is fully proven or disproven, drinking unpasteurized milk from a rabid cow or buffalo should be avoided since it is considered a rabies exposure.
Since all most everybody drinks milk after boiling it,the chances of rabies are as good as nil.
Thanks
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