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. 2023 Dec 18;110(1):142-149.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0272. Print 2024 Jan 3.

Surveillance of Flea-Borne Typhus in California, 2011-2019

Kyle Yomogida  1   2 , Anne Kjemtrup  2 , Beatriz Martínez-López  1 , Mireille Ibrahim  3 , Zuelma Contreras  3 , Van Ngo  3 , Umme-Aiman Halai  3 , Sharon Balter  3 , Matt Feaster  4 , Matthew Zahn  5 , Eric Shearer  5 , Rochelle Sorvillo  5 , Nora Balanji  6 , Cindy Torres  6 , Belinda Prado  6 , Charsey Porse  2 , Vicki Kramer  2
Affiliations

Surveillance of Flea-Borne Typhus in California, 2011-2019

Kyle Yomogida et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. .

Abstract

Flea-borne typhus (FBT), also referred to as murine typhus, is an acute febrile disease in humans caused by the bacteria Rickettsia typhi. Currently, cases of FBT are reported for public health surveillance purposes (i.e., to detect incidence and outbreaks) in a few U.S. states. In California, healthcare providers and testing laboratories are mandated to report to their respective local public health jurisdictions whenever R. typhi or antibodies reactive to R. typhi are detected in a patient, who then report cases to state health department. In this study, we characterize the epidemiology of flea-borne typhus cases in California from 2011 to 2019. A total of 881 cases were reported during this period, with most cases reported among residents of Los Angeles and Orange Counties (97%). Demographics, animal exposures, and clinical courses for case patients were summarized. Additionally, spatiotemporal cluster analyses pointed to five areas in southern California with persistent FBT transmission.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Reported flea-borne typhus cases in California, 2011–2019.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Flea-borne typhus cases by month, California, 2011–2019.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Race and ethnicity of FBT cases compared to population estimates, Los Angeles and Orange Counties, 2011–2019.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Spatiotemporal clusters of reported flea-borne typhus cases, Los Angeles and Orange Counties, 2011–2019.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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