Ctenocephalides felis, a parasitic fleaWIKIMEDIA, KATJA ZSM
Murine typhus, a bacterial disease carried by fleas and lice, is on the rise in Texas, researchers reported last last week (March 22) in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Rickettsia, the bacteria behind typhus, as well as spotted fever and other diseases, is most commonly carried by rodents and opossums. Murine typhus sufferers typically experience fever and other flu-like symptoms as well as a distinctive rash. If left untreated, the disease can cause damage to organs, including the liver, heart, and brain. Melissa Nolan Garcia, a study co-author and pediatric tropical medicine instructor at Baylor College of Medicine, told STAT that murine typhus was traditionally found in southern Texas, where poverty is more widespread. “However, when we are starting to see more cases in San Antonio, Houston, ...
