Los Angeles County recorded a record 220 cases of flea-borne typhus in 2025, and public health officials warned this week that nearly 90% of those infected required hospitalization, underscoring the severity of a disease long considered preventable. County health authorities said the 2025 total represents a continued rise from 187 cases in 2024 and is the highest number on record, prompting targeted investigations and renewed public guidance.
While infections were reported across the county, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health investigators opened focused inquiries into clusters in Santa Monica, Central Los Angeles and the Willowbrook neighborhood of South Los Angeles. “Flea-borne typhus can cause serious illness, but it is preventable with simple steps,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. He urged residents to use flea control on pets, avoid contact with stray animals and take measures to keep wildlife away from homes.
Typhus is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi and is transmitted to humans by infected fleas, which often live on rats, opossums and stray cats. The animals that carry the fleas commonly show no signs of illness but can introduce fleas into residential areas. Infection typically occurs when “flea dirt” — the fecal material left by fleas — is rubbed into a bite wound, a skin scrape or the eyes. The department emphasized that typhus is not spread from person to person.
Symptoms usually appear within one to two weeks of exposure and can include high fever and chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea or vomiting and a distinctive rash. The county’s data show victims in 2025 ranged in age from 1 to 85, indicating that all age groups remain at risk. Because of the high hospitalization rate, health officials urged anyone who develops these symptoms after potential exposure to seek medical attention promptly.
Public health guidance to reduce risk focuses on both animal and property management. Officials recommend year-round, veterinarian-approved flea control for pets, keeping animals indoors when feasible and avoiding contact with strays. Homeowners are advised to secure trash cans, remove yard debris and seal crawl spaces or openings under houses to prevent rodents and wildlife from nesting. The department also recommends using EPA-registered insect repellents on clothing and exposed skin where appropriate.
The county has been tracking a multi-year upward trend in flea-borne typhus cases, and health authorities said the 2025 surge will lead to intensified outreach and control efforts in affected neighborhoods. Further information on prevention and symptoms is available on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website, and clinicians are being reminded to consider typhus in patients with compatible symptoms and recent exposure to fleas or wildlife.