Public Safety

LA County reports flea-borne typhus outbreak in Wilshire Center

Health officials identified seven linked symptomatic cases; six people were hospitalized, and all seven have recovered.

Image credit: CDC / Dr. Pratt via Wikimedia Commons, public domain; archival 1948 Oriental rat flea image, not a specimen from this outbreak

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced September 22 that it is investigating a localized flea-borne typhus outbreak in the Wilshire Center neighborhood of Los Angeles. Officials identified seven symptomatic cases linked to the cluster. Six patients were hospitalized, and the county said all seven have recovered. Public Health stressed that the infection is not spread from person to person.

What it means locally

The county reported 109 flea-borne typhus cases across Los Angeles County so far this year and said the risk is countywide, even though this cluster is centered in one neighborhood. Symptoms commonly begin one to two weeks after infection and can include fever, headache, body aches and rash. The bacterial illness can be treated with antibiotics, and early diagnosis can reduce the risk of severe illness.

Public Health recommends year-round flea control for pets, keeping pet food indoors, avoiding contact with free-roaming animals, securing trash and closing openings that allow rodents or wildlife into homes. People with symptoms should seek medical care promptly, especially after possible flea or animal exposure. The accompanying CDC photograph is illustrative and was not taken during the Los Angeles outbreak.

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