Abstract
Rickettsia typhi (prevalence 1.9%) and R. felis (prevalence 24.8%) DNA were detected in rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) collected from mice on Oahu Island, Hawaii. The low prevalence of R. typhi on Oahu suggests that R. felis may be a more common cause of rickettsiosis than R. typhi in Hawaii.
Highlights
Rickettsia typhi and R. felis DNA were detected in rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) collected from mice on Oahu Island, Hawaii
The classic view is that R. typhi circulates among rats (Rattus rattus or R. norvegicus) and rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) [1,2], other rodents and their ectoparasites have been implicated in maintenance of R. typhi in nature
R. felis, the etiologic agent of cat flea rickettsiosis, was found associated with rat fleas collected from house mice
Summary
Rickettsia typhi (prevalence 1.9%) and R. felis (prevalence 24.8%) DNA were detected in rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) collected from mice on Oahu Island, Hawaii. The most recent outbreak of murine typhus in Hawaii occurred in 2002 with 47 cases reported on 5 islands [3]. Peak occurrence of murine typhus in Hawaii was in 1944 with 186 cases reported, of which 80% occurred on the island of Oahu [4].
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