09/12/2025
Texas is seeing an explosion of cases of typhus, a disease that, if untreated, can be fatal. The state now reports the most flea-borne typhus cases in the nation, and that more than 6,700 cases were recorded from 2008–2023, with about 70% of patients hospitalized and 14 deaths attributed over that span.
Typhus is spread by fleas and was almost eradicated from the United States. But now it’s making a comeback, which is something that 76-year-old Dana Clark discovered.
Clark is a longtime San Antonio musician who performs regularly around town but had to stop when in May she contracted typhus.
“I am much better. My energy is not as good as it once was, and I'm a little wobbly, but I'm closing in on getting back to completely normal,” she said.
Clark said she got flea-borne murine typhus from clearing weeds from her garden.
“And I created a lot of dust and just inhaling that dust can give someone typhus. Because of flea excrement,” Clark said.
Typhus spreads from cat and rodent fleas.
There is also a situation related to an animal reservoir—a species or population of animals that harbor pathogens and can transmit them to other animals or humans, often serving as a source of infection.
Reservoir animals include opossums and dogs.
Several days after exposure symptoms often begin with high fever, headache and body aches; a rash can also appear, according to the CDC.
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