LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A record number of flea-borne typhus cases have been reported in Los Angeles County, with 220 cases so far this year, and nearly 90% of patients requiring hospitalization, health officials said Thursday.
According to the county Department of Public Health, cases have been reported countywide, but localized outbreaks were confirmed in the Los Angeles Central City area, Santa Monica and Willowbrook.
“Flea-borne typhus can cause serious illness, but it is preventable with simple steps,” Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer, said in a statement. “With cases at an all-time high and most requiring hospitalization, it’s critical that people take simple steps now, such as routinely using flea control on their pets, avoiding contact with stray animals, and preventing wildlife from living in or around their homes.”
Health officials said 187 cases were reported in 2024 in the county. Symptoms generally appear within one or two weeks of infection, and can include fever, headache, rash and body aches.
Residents can protect against the disease by using flea-control treatments on pets year-round, avoiding handling or feeding stray animals, and keep wildlife away by security trash cans and blocking entry points and hiding places on residential properties.
According to DPH, people are often exposed in or near their homes when infected fleas are carried indoors by pets or other animals. Typhus- infected fleas are typically found on stray animals, rodents and wildlife such as opossums.
More information is available online at ph.lacounty.gov/typhus.
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