Murine typhus, also called fleaborne or endemic typhus, is a rickettsial disease caused by the organism Rickettsia typhi. Another organism, R. felis , may also play a role in causing murine typhus. Rickettsiae are a type of bacteria. Most of the murine typhus cases in Texas occur in South Texas from Nueces County southward to the Rio Grande Valley, but a few cases are reported in other parts of the state each year. Other animals, such as opossums and domestic cats, may also be involved in the transmission of murine typhus.
People get murine typhus from an infected flea.
The rickettsiae enter the body through the bite wound or from a person scratching the bite area. It is possible to get murine typhus by inhaling contaminated, dried flea feces. However, this method of transmission is not as common as transmission from a biting flea. The incubation period for murine typhus is 6 to 14 days. Symptoms of the disease include headache, fever, nausea, and body aches.