Six Hospitalized as Flea-Borne Typhus resurfaces in Los Angeles’ Wilshire Center

A new cluster of flea-borne typhus has been identified in Los Angeles’ Wilshire Center, leading to six people being admitted to hospitals. The bacterial infection, Rickettsia typhi, is spread when flea feces contact broken skin or are rubbed into the eyes, and is commonly linked to fleas carried by rats, stray cats and other animals in unsanitary environments. Dr. Jeffrey Klausner of the USC Keck School of Medicine emphasized that any contact with fleas poses a risk, noting that cases often emerge around homeless encampments or areas with inadequate sanitation.

Symptoms appear within one to two weeks and include fever, headache, vomiting, rash and muscle aches, but the disease is not contagious between humans and responds to antibiotics if treated promptly. This outbreak follows a previous one in Pico-Union that hospitalized five individuals earlier in the year, amid a county-wide rise in typhus cases. Officials continue to urge residents to maintain flea control on pets, avoid stray animals and keep rodents out of homes.