Six Hospitalized as Flea-Borne Typhus Reemerges in Los Angeles
Health officials are investigating a new cluster of flea-borne typhus in Los Angeles' Wilshire Center, adding to recent cases in Pico-Union and a countywide rise in infections.
Los Angeles County health officials are investigating a cluster of flea-borne typhus in the Wilshire Center neighborhood that has resulted in six hospitalizations. The outbreak follows a similar incident earlier this year in Pico-Union, where five people were hospitalized.
"Anyone who has contact with fleas — that's the major exposure," said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an infectious disease specialist at the USC Keck School of Medicine. The bacterium Rickettsia typhi is transmitted when flea feces enter the body through broken skin or the eyes, and it is not spread from person to person. Symptoms typically appear within one to two weeks and may include fever, headache, vomiting, rash, and muscle aches. Early treatment with antibiotics is effective.
County data show a continued increase in cases, with a record 220 infections reported in 2025, up from 187 the previous year, and nearly 90% of those patients required hospitalization. Officials have warned that fleas carried by rats, free-roaming cats, opossums and other wildlife can expose residents even in residential areas. They advise keeping pets on year-round flea control, avoiding contact with stray animals, and preventing rodents from nesting near homes.