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A Mini-Epidemic of Typhus in Travis County, Texas by Jerry Cates Typhus is a dangerous disease spread by fleas. The bacteria that causes the infection is a member of the genus Rickettsia, which contains a number of historically important disease-causing bacteria. The particular bacteria involved in the mini-epidemic presently underway in Travis County, Texas, where thirteen people have been diagnosed with the disease this year, is either Rickettsia typhi or Rickettsia felis. The fleas that spread the disease are transported from place to place by flea-infested mammals. Which Animals are Likely To Spread Infected Fleas? All animals susceptible to flea infestations are capable of helping to spread the typhus bacteria. These include, in Travis County, rats, mice, opossums, raccoons, cats, dogs, squirrels, and deer. However, state and county officials are focusing on a narrower range of animals such as rats, opossums, and cats, because the habits and movements of such animals, along with the nature of the typhus microbe itself, make them more likely to acquire infestations of infected fleas serving as vectors of the disease. Humans do not acquire typhus infections directly from flea bites, but indirectly, from contact with the feces of an infected flea. Infected fleas are transferred to humans after an animal infested with them has loitered in an area where humans live or congregate. When such a flea bites and begins to withdraw blood from the skin, it typically defecates reflexively; the irritation caused by the bite leads the bitten person to rub the site, often dislodging the flea and smearing its fecal matter into the bite wound; typhus bacteria in the feces gain entry, by this mechanism, to the blood supply of the bitten individual. Other routes of entry are also possible, including ingestion of flea feces on contaminated food, application of minute quantities of feces to the eyes (the conjunctiva are highly susceptible to such infections) or the nasal mucosa by rubbing these areas with contaminated fingers, and by inhaling dried fecal matter in contaminated dust. How You can Prevent Typhus The primary object of any typhus prevention program must be to stop the introduction of fleas into the environment where you live, while simultaneously eliminating any existing fleas in that same environment. Aggressive steps to eradicate fleas in and around your home should be carried out using effective methods and pesticides. It is wise to do this as a first step; otherwise some of the other steps you follow could cause fleas to become more numerous. Please take note that "aggressive flea eradication" does not mean you must use harsh toxicant pesticides: a number of minimum-risk and non-toxic pesticides are also available to eradicate adult fleas, to kill flea eggs, and to prevent flea larvae from developing into adults. Such minimum-risk and non-toxic pesticides are effective inside and outside your home, when used properly. In addition to eradicating existing adult fleas, their eggs, and flea larvae, you should also take steps to keep feral animals, such as cats, opossums, raccoons and the like, out of your yard, and out of and away from your home. If you know that mice and/or rats are living in or under your home, garage, or anywhere in your yard, you should take steps to eliminate them. Food supplies that attract rodents of any kind must be removed and stored in rodent-proof containers. Bird feeders should be removed from your yard and all traces of birdseed and similar matter, that collect under such feeders, should be removed. Rodents are attracted to such spots in large numbers, often at night when you will not see them.. Any debris or other harborage in your yard or garage, where rodents can congregate, should be removed. Questions: 512-331-1111 E-Mail: jcates@austin.rr.com Our Privacy Policy Bugsinthenews |
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