Amid growing concerns over stray dog attacks and rabies cases in Kashmir, a senior public health expert has clarified that consuming properly cooked meat from an animal bitten by a rabid dog does not transmit rabies, while stressing that bites and scratches from infected animals remain extremely dangerous.
Professor M. Saleem Khan, Head of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at Government Medical College Srinagar and a noted public health expert associated with anti-rabies programmes in Kashmir, said misconceptions surrounding rabies transmission through food continue to create panic among people.
“Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. However, eating properly cooked meat from an animal bitten by a dog, even a rabid one, does not cause rabies,” Prof Khan said. He explained that the rabies virus is highly sensitive to heat and gets destroyed during proper cooking.
He said several people in the past had approached the Anti-Rabies Vaccination Clinic at SMHS Hospital fearing infection after consuming meat from animals suspected to have been exposed to rabies.
“We counsel them and send them home. There is no need to panic if the meat has been properly cooked,” he said.
However, Prof Khan cautioned that individuals involved in slaughtering or handling carcasses of suspected rabid animals should remain careful, especially if they have cuts, abrasions or broken skin.
“If a person handling such an animal has even a minor cut or scrape, there is a possibility of exposure through infected secretions. In such cases, prophylactic anti-rabies vaccination is advised,” he said.
Rabies is a viral disease transmitted mainly through saliva of infected animals via bites, scratches, or contact with open wounds and mucous membranes. Health experts maintain that the virus does not spread through cooked food. International health agencies, including the World Health Organization, state that thorough cooking destroys the virus.
Experts, however, advise against handling or butchering suspected rabid animals without precautions, as exposure during slaughtering or contact with raw tissues may carry risk.
Prof Khan said rabies is not limited to dogs alone and can also be carried by animals such as cats, foxes and rodents, underscoring the need for greater public awareness.
Health officials continue to stress immediate washing of bite wounds with soap and water, followed by timely post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), as the most effective protection against rabies.
With rising stray dog numbers in Kashmir, experts have also called for urgent measures including sterilisation drives, vaccination of stray animals and stronger pet vaccination programmes to reduce the risk of rabies transmission.
