Murine typhus is a disease carried by rodents (rats, mice, mongoose) and spread to humans by fleas. It is caused by a bacteria called Rickettsia typhi. The fleas ...SkiptoContentSkiptoNavigationSkiptoFooterHawaii.govTextsize:Smaller | Reset | LargerStayConnectedMurineTyphusDiseasesA-ZDiseaseTypesAnimal-TransmittedBioterrorism-RelatedBloodborneChildhoodCommunityacquiredInfectionsEnvironmentalFoodborneHealthcare&Hospital-TransmittedInfluenzaMosquito-TransmittedPest-TransmittedRecreation-RelatedRespiratoryVirusesSexuallyTransmittedTravel-RelatedVaccine-PreventableWaterborneReportaCaseDiseaseReportingLine(808)586-4586MurineTyphusAboutThisDiseaseSignsandSymptomsTransmissionDiagnosisTreatmentImmunityRiskinHawaiiPreventionAdditionalResourcesInformationforCliniciansAboutThisDiseaseMurinetyphusisadiseasecarriedbyrodents(rats,mice,mongoose)andspreadtohumansbyfleas.ItiscausedbyabacteriacalledRickettsiatyphi.Thefleascanalsoliveonothersmallmammals,includingpets,suchascatsanddogs.Onceafleaisinfected,itcanspreadthediseasefortherestofitslife.SignsandSymptomsThesymptomscomeonsuddenlyandincludefever,headaches,bodyache,jointache,nausea,vomiting,and/orstomachaches.Somepeoplemaydeveloprashfewdaysaftertheinitialsymptoms.Theillnessseldomlastslongerthan2weeks,butmaylastformonthswithcomplicationifnottreated.Thesymptomsusuallyappear7to14daysaftertheexposure.TransmissionThediseaseisspreadwheninfectedfleafecesarerubbedintocutsorscrapesintheskin,includingthefleabites.Itisalsopossibletobespreadthroughinhalationofinfected,driedfleafeces,orexposingmucousmembranestoinfectedfleafeces. Murinetyphusisnotspreadfromonepersontoanother,orfrompersontofleas.DiagnosisIfyouhavesymptomsofMurinetyphus,yourhealthcareprovidermayconductabloodtesttodeterminethis.Usuallytwobloodtests,2-3weeksapartbetweenthe1stbloodtestand2ndbloodtestarerecommendedtoruleoutortoconfirm.TreatmentAdoctorcanprescribeantibioticmedicinetotreattyphus.Antibioticsaremoreeffective whengivensoonaftersymptomsbegin. Laboratorytestreportcantakesev