Study: Resurgence of specific cat flea bacteria could be spreading inside your home
A new study suggests cat fleas may be playing an unexpected role in the spread of murine typhus, a flea-borne disease that has reemerged in parts of Texas.
According to a report by Newsweek, researchers at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences found cat fleas carrying Rickettsia typhi, the bacterium that causes murine typhus.
The study also detected the bacterium in six of 167 domesticated cats tested in the Rio Grande Valley.
Although only a small percentage of the cats tested positive, researchers noted the disease continues to infect people.
The findings come as murine typhus continues to reemerge in South Texas. More than 6,700 cases have been reported in the Rio Grande Valley between 2008 and 2023, according to Newsweek.
The Rio Grande Valley isn't the only Texas region seeing a resurgence of murine typhus.
A separate study from the University of Texas Medical Branch identified 149 adult murine typhus patients in Galveston between 2019 and 2023. Nearly 80% were hospitalized, 33 required intensive care and two died from complications, according to Newsweek.
City of San Antonio's take on the disease
The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District told Newsweek that murine typhus remains prevalent in Bexar County, with case rates staying above pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and 2024.
To reduce the risk of infection, city health officials recommend using flea prevention products on pets, wearing insect repellent and keeping rodents and wild animals away from homes.
Best ways for prevention
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Researchers said the findings underscore the importance of protecting both pets and people, noting that animal and human health are closely connected.
While cats rarely become seriously ill from murine typhus, researchers say keeping fleas under control through routine veterinary treatments is the best way to reduce the risk of infection for both pets and their owners.
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