Flea-borne Typhus Historical Trends
- Flea-borne (murine) typhus cases are increasing in certain areas of the country, including southern California, Hawaii, and Texas.
- Flea-borne typhus was a nationally notifiable disease from 1930—1987.
Number of annual typhus group rickettsiosis cases, 1930 - 1987
- During 1930 through the 1940s, thousands of cases of flea-borne typhus, also called murine typhus or endemic typhus, were reported annually. Beginning in the 1950s, cases began to decline drastically, in part due to advances in sanitation and pest management. By 1958, fewer than 100 cases were reported each year.
- Because the disease is rare, in 1987, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists voted to remove flea-borne typhus from the nationally notifiable disease list.
