LA County Board of Supervisors addresses rise in flea-borne typhus cases with a clean-up plan

The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors is taking steps to address the rise in flea-borne typhus in the county after a recent report found a record-breaking number of cases in 2025.

An approved plan to reduce risk factors included keeping streets and sidewalks clear of trash and other animal food sources, and keeping vegetation trimmed and maintained, among other measures.

In 2024, there were 187 cases, and in 2025, 220 cases of flea-borne typhus were reported. According to the board, 17 cases have been recorded this year in Los Angeles County, as of March 20.

During Tuesday's board meeting, Dr. Barbara Ferrar, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, explained that humans are exposed to the disease by free-roaming animals such as cats, opossums, and rodents, which are known to carry infected fleas.

"There's more food and shelter for pets and for animals. There's a lot of trash and outdoor clutter that allows rats and opossums to thrive," Ferrar said. "We have an issue here with free-roaming animals, unmanaged stray populations, and feeding of wildlife brings flea-carrying animals right to our doorsteps."

Board members unanimously approved a motion presented by Supervisor Holly Mitchell, noting that cases are especially high in the unincorporated community of Willowbrook, the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westlake, and the city of Santa Monica.

In December 2025, the County's Department of Public Health declared an outbreak in Willowbrook, where five cases were identified.

The unanimously approved motion directs the County's Department of Public Health to coordinate with various other departments, including public works, homeless services, animal control, and parks and recreation, to reduce risks.

"Conditions contributing to transmission include illegal dumping, overgrown vegetation, free-roaming animals (such as cats, dogs, and chickens), and the presence of homeless encampments," the motion stated.

County departments are to engage in the following preventative measures:

• Keep streets and sidewalks free of trash, garbage, fecal material, pet droppings and other food sources
• Ensure a sufficient number of waste bins to prevent trash accumulation between pick-up days
• Keep vegetation trimmed and maintained, and eliminate rodent burrows in planters along streets and sidewalks.
• Communicate with residents, business owners, cities and unincorporated areas about steps they can take to reduce environmental risks … including notifying owners to clean debris and refuse on private land.

Flea-borne typhus cannot spread from one person to another; it is only acquired by an infected flea biting a human. Infected animals typically do not show signs of illness. Ferrar noted that, "There's closer contact with the wildlife, as we build further into natural areas, we live closer to areas with animals that carry infected fleas."

Symptoms in humans typically appear within one to two weeks after becoming infected and may include fever, headache, rash, and body aches.

"Though flea-borne typhus is readily treated with antibiotics, and most people make a full recovery with the right diagnosis and treatment, it is still a serious disease and can cause long hospitalization stays," Ferrar said.