India's Rabies Situation Concerns the U.S. CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a Travel Health Notice regarding the expanding health risk of contracting the rabies virus when visiting India. And the CDC reaffirmed the risk of fake rabies vaccinations.

On November 25, 2025, the CDC posted a Level 1 - Practice Usual Precautions notice stating a case of Rabies had been reported in the U.S. in a traveler from India. Travelers potentially exposed to Rabies in India should immediately seek local medical care.

This advice is essential as Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system. Last year, India's National Centre for Disease Control recorded 54 suspected rabies deaths.

The CDC says upon returning home, travelers should follow up with their health care provider as soon as possible. And in the USA, infected bats are the leading source of infection in people.

To prevent contracting rabies, travelers to India should avoid all contact with dogs, cats, and other wild mammals.

And consider getting vaccinated against Rabies before traveling abroad.

In the United States, rabies vaccines are available at pharmacies and travel clinics.

In India, the circulation of counterfeit ABHAYRAB human rabies vaccine has recently been reported in major cities. Counterfeit vaccines may not be effective in the prevention of Rabies and could contain harmful ingredients, says the CDC.