Jim Skinner Sheriff at Collin County | Official website
There has been a rise in cases of flea-borne typhus, also known as "murine" or "endemic," identified in McKinney, Texas. The disease is transmitted to humans through contact with infected fleas. Fleas become carriers when they bite infected animals such as rats, cats, or opossums. When an infected flea bites a person or animal, it breaks the skin and creates a wound. During feeding, fleas defecate, and this feces—referred to as flea dirt—contains bacteria that can be introduced into the bite wound or other wounds, leading to infection.
It is noted that less than 5% of patients will recall a flea bite or exposure in the one to two weeks before falling ill. In addition to direct contact with flea bites, people can also contract the bacteria by inhaling infected flea dirt or rubbing it into their eyes. Importantly, these bacteria do not spread from person to person.
Further information on this issue is available in attached documents.
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