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Source: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte...in_travis.html
2009 > May > 27
UPDATE: Typhus case reported in Travis County; health officials issue prevention tips
By Mary Ann Roser | Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 11:24 AM
Travis County health officials alerted residents today to take precautions to avoid typhus, a serious flea-borne illness that is not commonly found in the Austin area, after they confirmed the first case of the year.
The case is a man living in the 78703 ZIP code who was exposed to the illness by fleas from his pets, said Carole Barasch, spokeswoman for the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department.
Murine typhus is carried by infected fleas that generally come from rodents but can be carried by opossums, cats and other animals. The illness is characterized by fever, headache, nausea and rash. It?s easily treated with antibiotics and lasts about two weeks. But typhus can cause patients to be hospitalized, and untreated patients can die in rare cases.
Last year, the health department reported 33 cases of typhus, prompting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate to see if a new type of typhus had invaded the area. Ultimately, the CDC issued a report that confirmed murine typhus, the kind typically found in South Texas. Sporadic cases of murine typhus had been reported in Central Texas in previous decades, but no one could recall an outbreak locally like the one in 2008.
The CDC?s investigation last year also said a newer form of typhus-related illness not seen in Central Texas before, Rickettsia felis, could also be circulating. Humans get it from exposure to flea-infested domestic cats and dogs, primarily. Like murine typhus, it also causes a fever, headache, malaise and possibly, a rash.
Typhus is not spread from person-to-person.
Officials said they could not predict whether the disease was being established in animals in Central Texas.
I just became aware of a man in Travis Heights (78704) who said he was diagnosed with with typhus after spending a week in the hospital. His case is not the same one the health department has identified, but if it?s confirmed, local residents would be wise to take precautions, regardless of their ZIP code.
The health department offers these tips to prevent typhus:
*
Use vet-recommended flea and tick control products on pets.
*
Remove outside pet food, bird feeders and fallen fruit.
*
Keep yards mowed, free of undergrowth and debris.
*
Use insect repellents with DEET.
*
Wear clothing that covers you as well as a mask, goggles and gloves when cleaning an animal nesting area.
*
Thoroughly clean areas where pets sleep, play and eat.
*
Avoid interactions with wild cats.
If you have a concern about typhus, call the health department at 972-5555
2009 > May > 27
UPDATE: Typhus case reported in Travis County; health officials issue prevention tips
By Mary Ann Roser | Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 11:24 AM
Travis County health officials alerted residents today to take precautions to avoid typhus, a serious flea-borne illness that is not commonly found in the Austin area, after they confirmed the first case of the year.
The case is a man living in the 78703 ZIP code who was exposed to the illness by fleas from his pets, said Carole Barasch, spokeswoman for the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department.
Murine typhus is carried by infected fleas that generally come from rodents but can be carried by opossums, cats and other animals. The illness is characterized by fever, headache, nausea and rash. It?s easily treated with antibiotics and lasts about two weeks. But typhus can cause patients to be hospitalized, and untreated patients can die in rare cases.
Last year, the health department reported 33 cases of typhus, prompting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate to see if a new type of typhus had invaded the area. Ultimately, the CDC issued a report that confirmed murine typhus, the kind typically found in South Texas. Sporadic cases of murine typhus had been reported in Central Texas in previous decades, but no one could recall an outbreak locally like the one in 2008.
The CDC?s investigation last year also said a newer form of typhus-related illness not seen in Central Texas before, Rickettsia felis, could also be circulating. Humans get it from exposure to flea-infested domestic cats and dogs, primarily. Like murine typhus, it also causes a fever, headache, malaise and possibly, a rash.
Typhus is not spread from person-to-person.
Officials said they could not predict whether the disease was being established in animals in Central Texas.
I just became aware of a man in Travis Heights (78704) who said he was diagnosed with with typhus after spending a week in the hospital. His case is not the same one the health department has identified, but if it?s confirmed, local residents would be wise to take precautions, regardless of their ZIP code.
The health department offers these tips to prevent typhus:
*
Use vet-recommended flea and tick control products on pets.
*
Remove outside pet food, bird feeders and fallen fruit.
*
Keep yards mowed, free of undergrowth and debris.
*
Use insect repellents with DEET.
*
Wear clothing that covers you as well as a mask, goggles and gloves when cleaning an animal nesting area.
*
Thoroughly clean areas where pets sleep, play and eat.
*
Avoid interactions with wild cats.
If you have a concern about typhus, call the health department at 972-5555
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