Historical trends

• Flea-borne (murine) typhus was a nationally notifiable disease from 1930 until 1987.
• During 1930 through the 1940s, thousands of cases of flea-borne typhus were reported annually. Beginning in the 1950s, cases of flea-borne typhus began to decline drastically, in part due to widespread advances in sanitation and pest management. By 1958, less than a hundred cases were reported each year.
• Because of the rarity of the disease, in 1987, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists voted to remove flea-borne typhus from the list of nationally notifiable diseases.
• Flea-borne typhus cases still occur in certain areas of the country, including California, Hawaii, and Texas.
• Reporting is still required in some states and local jurisdictions. Check with your state or local health departments to learn if flea-borne typhus is reportable in your state and, if applicable, what the current case counts are in your area.

Number of Annual Typhus Group Rickettsiosis Cases, 1930-1987