Los Angeles Has a Flea Problem-and It's Fueling Typhus Outbreaks

Key Points:

• Los Angeles County is experiencing a localized outbreak of flea-borne typhus, with several people hospitalized, marking the second major outbreak in the area this year amid rising cases countywide.
• Flea-borne typhus, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi and primarily spread by fleas from rodents and other small mammals, causes symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, and rash, and is treatable with antibiotics.
• The recent outbreak occurred in the Wilshire Center neighborhood with at least seven cases identified, six hospitalized, all of whom have recovered; a previous outbreak in July affected five people in the Pico-Union neighborhood.
• So far in 2026, Los Angeles County has reported 109 typhus cases, below the 2025 record of 220 but above pre-2020 levels, with cases typically peaking in late summer and fall, suggesting numbers may continue to rise.
• Health officials advise residents to prevent flea exposure by keeping pets flea-free year-round, avoiding contact with wildlife, securing trash, maintaining clean yards, and sealing home entry points to reduce the risk of infection.