Attention pet parents: Los Angeles County is reporting a record number of flea-borne typhus cases. <\/p>\n
Public health officials are warning pet owners to take precautions for themselves and their four-legged family members. Fret not: There are several simple precautions you can take to prevent a flea-borne typhus infection. <\/p>\n
The Los Angeles County Public Health Department identified 220 cases of flea-borne typhus last year, a stark increase over the 187 cases in 2024<\/a>. <\/p>\n Of the total number of cases in 2025, nearly 9 out of 10 people infected with typhus required hospitalization, according to public health officials. <\/p>\n Flea-borne typhus is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi. Fleas become infected when they bite infected animals such as rats, stray cats or opossums, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>. Once infected, the flea spreads the disease to humans when flea feces is rubbed into cuts or scrapes on the skin or the eyes. <\/p>\n The number of typhus cases in the county has increased since 2021<\/a>, when there were 141 recorded cases, rising to 171 in 2022. There was a slight decrease in 2023 with 124 cases, but the number picked back up in 2024. <\/p>\n Typhus hot spots in Los Angeles County<\/p>\n Cases have been reported across Los Angeles County, but authorities identified three localized outbreaks in 2025. <\/p>\n The outbreaks occurred in central Los Angeles, Santa Monica and the unincorporated neighborhood of Willowbrook near Compton, according to public health officials. <\/p>\n Why last year\u2019s numbers matter today<\/p>\n