The L.A. County Department of Public Health contacted the Manhattan Beach Police Department about the case on Thursday.
County health officials posted information about precautions when dealing with wildlife and domestic pets.
Typhus fever is a bacterial infection generally transmitted by fleas, ticks, lice and mites, or by inhaling infected dust. It's prevalent in port cities and coastal regions with rodents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as in tropical and subtropical areas.
Symptoms usually develop within one to two weeks after becoming infected. Fever, headache, malaise, nausea and vomiting are common symptoms. A rash may develop at the site of a flea or tick bite, according to the CDC.
According to L.A. County Department of Health, the disease is readily treatable with the appropriate antibiotic therapy.
As a reminder, when in contact with wildlife, feral cats, stray dogs or free-roaming pets, the Department of Public Health offered preventive steps:
- Practice safe flea control
- Eliminate all possible harborage
- Eliminate all food sources
- Take personal precautions
For further information regarding this incident, contact the Environmental Health Vector Management Program at (626) 430-5450, or the Acute Communicable Disease Unit (213) 240-7941. Visit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information about typhus.
