Title | Flea-borne Typhus Information | StartDate | 2024-08-13T05:00:00Z | Expires | | Body |
Flea-borne Typhus Flea-borne typhus (also called murine typhus) is a disease that can spread to people from infected fleas and their feces. People get sick with flea-borne typhus when infected flea feces are rubbed into cuts or scrapes in the skin or rubbed into the eyes. Typhus is not spread from person to person. Typhus infects the fleas of rats, cats, dogs and opossums. Infected animals don’t usually show signs that they’re sick.
Signs and Symptoms of Flea-borne Typhus
Many people with typhus may have: • Fever and chills • Body aches and muscle pain
• Loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting • Rash on the chest, back, arms, or legs
If you have these symptoms, call your doctor. Typhus can be treated with antibiotics. Signs of typhus can start 6 to 14 days after having contact with the infected flea.
• Keep fleas off your pets.
• Animals that are allowed outside are more likely to bring fleas inside. • Talk to your veterinarian about flea control products for pets, such as flea collars, oral medication, or topical flea prevention products.
• Keep rodents and wild animals (e.g., opossums) away from your home, workplace, and recreational areas. • Store food, including pet food, in tightly sealed containers.
• Remove brush, rock piles, junk, and clutter outside of your home.
• Seal up holes in your home where rodents can enter.
• Keep lids closed on compost and trashcans to discourage animal visitors.
• Protect yourself from flea bites. • Do not feed or pet wild or stray animals.
• Always wear gloves if you are handling sick or dead animals.
For more information on county-specific trends, please visit: Collin County Public Information Feature Releases Typhus Update.
| Category | All | | Attachments |
|
|
