Texas A&M Study Finds Cat Fleas Carry Murine Typhus Bacteria

According to Newsweek, researchers at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences reported detecting Rickettsia typhi DNA in cat fleas collected from the Rio Grande Valley, confirming a potential pathway for flea-borne murine typhus. The DNA analysis was performed on fleas taken from domestic cats in several communities across the region. Detection of the pathogen indicates that pets can serve as reservoirs for the disease, which has already caused hundreds of hospitalizations in South Texas.

The Texas Department of State Health Services and the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District have reported a recent increase in murine typhus cases. Officials warned residents to control fleas on their animals and to seek medical care for feverish symptoms, emphasizing the need for heightened surveillance.