Dangerous disease 'old as the plague' hits record high in California
sfgate.com • • health
Key Points:
- Los Angeles County reported a record 220 cases of flea-borne typhus in 2025, marking the highest number on record, with California also experiencing its highest modern-era total of 277 cases.
- Flea-borne typhus is caused by Rickettsia typhi bacteria, transmitted through bites from infected fleas often found on stray animals, rodents, and opossums; symptoms include fever, chills, headache, cough, and a distinctive rash.
- Health officials urge residents to use flea control on pets, avoid contact with stray animals, and prevent wildlife from inhabiting residential areas to reduce risk, as 90% of infected individuals require hospitalization.
- Experts link the rise in cases to warmer climates boosting flea populations and increased human encroachment into wildlife habitats, which facilitates disease transmission from animals to people.
- Although treatable with antibiotics and rarely fatal, flea-borne typhus can cause severe illness, including dangerous blood abnormalities and internal bleeding, affecting both healthy individuals and vulnerable populations.
