Fleas and the diseases they spread are having a grand ole time in Los Angeles as of late. The area is currently dealing with cases of typhus.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported this week that it’s investigating a localized outbreak of the bacterial disease that left several people hospitalized. It’s the second major outbreak in LA seen this year, though cases are on the rise throughout the county. Residents are being advised to keep their pets flea-free and to avoid contact with wildlife that could potentially carry the bloodsucking insects.
“As flea-borne typhus cases continue to increase across Los Angeles County, preventing exposure to fleas on free roaming animals and wildlife is more important than ever,” said Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer, in a statement released by the department Tuesday.
Typhus in LA
There are several forms of typhus, each caused by a different bacterium and spread by a different primary vector. Flea-borne typhus is caused by Rickettsia typhi. It’s also sometimes called murine typhus, since rodents are one of the bacteria’s main animal hosts, but cats, possums, and other small mammals can also carry it.
Though the disease is less severe than epidemic typhus and is treatable with antibiotics, it can be plenty miserable. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, and a distinctive rash, which tend to show up a week after exposure. People are typically infected by fleas pooping out the bacteria near their bite wounds, though we can also catch it from breathing infected flea dust or rubbing it into our eyes. The infection cannot spread from person to person.
This latest outbreak occurred in the Wilshire Center neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, according to the health department. At least seven cases have been identified so far, six of whom were hospitalized as a result. All have since recovered. In late July, officials reported a separate outbreak in the Pico-Union neighborhood that sickened and hospitalized five people, who all recovered.
Outside of these clusters, however, the county has seen typhus throughout the area. So far this year, there have been 109 cases reported in LA. That’s below the record-setting 220 cases reported in 2025 but is still above the annual trend reported prior to 2020. Typhus cases tend to peak in the late summer and fall, according to the department, so this year’s tally may yet continue to rise.
How to prevent typhus
People experiencing homelessness are at higher risk of typhus due to their greater exposure to fleas and host animals. But the health department notes anyone can catch the infection, and that cases this year have been documented “among people with a range of housing and socioeconomic circumstances.” Last year, cases were reported across all ages from 1 to 85.
The most prudent way to minimize your risk of typhus is to limit the chances of flea exposure. These measures include using flea control year-round on your pets, especially if they are free-roaming; not trying to touch or feed wild animals or attract them to your home via leaving food outside; keeping your yard free of debris and your trash neatly contained; and sealing any potential openings in the home that rodents or other wild mammals could use to sneak in and make themselves cozy.
“Simple steps can prevent serious illness,” said Davis.
