County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health
Acute Communicable Disease Control
313 N. Figueroa Street, #212
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 240-7941
Fax: (213) 482-4856
Email:acdc2@ph.lacounty.gov
Have questions about things like where to go for vaccinations or
other health care
services?
Call 2-1-1.
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Acute Communicable Disease Control
Flea-Borne (Endemic) Typhus
Typhus refers to a group of infectious diseases that are
caused by rickettsial organisms and result in an acute
febrile illness. The principle diseases of
this group are epidemic (or louse-borne) typhus,
flea-borne
(or endemic) typhus, and scrub typhus.
Flea-borne typhus (sometimes called murine typhus) is
the only one of these diseases naturally occurring in
LA County and is caused by two bacteria Rickettsia typhi
and R. felis. Flea-borne typhus can spread to humans
from bacteria found in infected fleas. Infection happens when the feces
from infected fleas are rubbed into cuts or scrapes in
the skin or rubbed into the eyes.
Symptoms can start within two weeks after contact with the infected flea
and include high fever, headache, chills, and body
aches. A rash can appear on the chest, back, arms, or legs.
In rare cases, there may be swelling at the lining of the brain (meningitis) and heart valves (endocarditis). Fatalities are uncommon, occurring in less than 1% of
cases. The disease is typically mild in young children.
Typhus infection is not vaccine preventable, but can be
treated with antibiotics.
Number of Typhus Cases
in LA County*
Excludes Long Beach and
Pasadena
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015+
2016
2017+
2018+
2019
2020
2021+
2022+**
5 Year
Average
(2017-2021)
Total
Count
31
38
49
68
44
54
47
67
109
93
92
141
147
100
*Totals are
provisional and subject
to change
**Update as of 2/3/23.
+Outbreaks
in 2015 (Pomona), 2017 (Willowbrook),
2018 (DTLA & Willowbrook),
and 2021 (Willowbrook,
LA – Westlake, &
Monrovia), 2022 (LA – Glassell Park & Eagle Rock, Boyle Heights & Wholesale District,
Wilshire Center)
Number of Typhus Cases by Outbreak Location, 2022*
City/Community
Case Count
City of Los Angeles - Glassell Park & Eagle Rock
13
City of Los Angeles - Boyle Heights & Wholesale District
REPORTING Flea-borne typhus and other rickettsial infections are reportable in California. Reporting of cases guides the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to target surveillance activities and health education. A standard
Confidential Morbidity Report (CMR) can be used to file a report; the CMR may be faxed to the DPH Morbidity Unit at (888) 397-3778 or (213) 482-5508. You may also report cases by telephone during normal business hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to (888) 397-3993. For cases among residents of the cities of
Long Beach or
Pasadena, please contact their local health departments.
Public Health has made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translation. However, no computerized translation is perfect and is not intended to replace traditional translation methods. If questions arise concerning the accuracy of the information, please refer to the English edition of the website, which is the official version.