Los Angeles County has recorded a record 220 cases of flea-borne typhus in 2025, the highest number ever documented, according to county health officials. The figure marks an increase from 187 cases in 2024 and continues a trend of rising infections in recent years.
Nearly nine out of ten infected individuals required hospitalisation, officials said. Cases spanned a wide age range, from infants aged one year to adults up to 85 years old. The disease is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi and spreads through fleas that have bitten infected animals such as rats, stray cats, or opossums.
Health officials are investigating three concentrated outbreak areas in Central Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and the Willowbrook neighbourhood. While infections occur year-round, cases typically spike in late summer and autumn when warmer temperatures increase flea activity.
Symptoms, which develop within one to two weeks after exposure, include fever, headaches, nausea, and rashes. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, especially when diagnosed early. Officials advise using flea control on pets year-round, keeping pets indoors, avoiding stray animals, and securing trash to deter rodents and wildlife.
Residents who notice stray animals, rodents, or opossums near their property should report them to local animal control agencies to help manage disease risks.
