Flea-borne typhus rising in LA County with latest case reported in Wilshire Center

Typhus, a flea-borne bacterial disease, is on the rise in Los Angeles County, with the latest localized case reported in the Wilshire Center neighborhood, public health officials said Tuesday. The disease is spread to humans by infected fleas that commonly live on rats, opossums, stray cats and other animals. Common symptoms include headaches, chills, muscle aches and rash. The Wilshire Center case is the second localized typhus outbreak this year, according to the LA County Department of Public Health. There were at least seven symptomatic cases linked to the outbreak, health officials said. Six of the seven patients had to...