Los Angeles County Reports Record Flea-Borne Typhus Cases, Urges Precautions
Los Angeles County has reported a record number of flea-borne typhus cases, with 220 cases identified in 2025, marking a significant increase from previous years. Nearly 90% of those infected required hospitalization. The disease, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi, is spread by fleas that have bitten infected animals such as rats, stray cats, or opossums. The fleas then transmit the disease to humans through flea feces that come into contact with cuts or scrapes on the skin. Public health officials have identified three localized outbreaks in central Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Willowbrook. The disease tends to peak during late summer and fall due to increased flea activity in warmer weather. 
