The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel notice this past week for rabies in India.
Health officials say a case of rabies has been reported in the U.S. in a traveler from India. There has been two human rabies cases and subsequent deaths reported in 2025 as of September, one occurred in a child who was exposed to rabies in India through a dog bite and died after coming to the U.S.
In addition, CDC advises that the circulation of counterfeit ABHAYRAB human rabies vaccine has recently been reported in major cities in India. Counterfeit vaccine may not be effective in the prevention of rabies and could contain harmful ingredients.
India is endemic for rabies, and accounts for 36% of the world’s rabies deaths. True burden of rabies in India is not fully known; although as per available information, it causes 18,000-20,000 deaths every year. About 30-60% of reported rabies cases and deaths in India occur in children under the age of 15 years as bites that occur in children often go unrecognized and unreported.
Travelers potentially exposed to rabies in India should immediately seek medical care. Upon returning home, travelers should follow up with their health care provider as soon as possible.
Podcast: Rabies and Travel Health
To prevent rabies, travelers should avoid all contact with dogs (including puppies), cats (including kittens), and wild mammals while in India, especially animals roaming freely on the streets.
Consider getting vaccinated against rabies before travel if you might come in contact with dogs, cats, or wildlife or plan to work with animals during travel.
If you are bitten, scratched, or have a fresh wound that is licked by a dog, cat or mammalian wildlife in India, wash the wound immediately with soap and running water and seek immediate medical attention, even if
You don’t feel sick
The wound does not look serious
You were vaccinated against rabies before travel
Rabies in humans is preventable, but you must get care right away. Once symptoms of rabies develop, it is nearly always fatal.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) in mammals. It is mainly spread through bites and scratches from infected animals such as dogs, cats, bats, foxes, jackals, mongoose, raccoons, and skunks.
Seek emergency medical care immediately if you think you were exposed to rabies. Rabies in humans is preventable, but you must get care right away. Once symptoms of rabies develop, it is nearly always fatal.
The first symptoms of rabies may start weeks or months after exposure and include weakness or discomfort, fever, headache and, if bitten, itching/prickling sensation at the site of the bite. Symptoms of severe disease follow the first symptoms and include anxiety, confusion, agitation, and hallucinations.