title: Ownership of cats or dogs does not increase exposure to Rickettsia typhi.
abstract: In the United States, murine typhus (Rickettsia typhi) is endemic in southern California and South Texas. Evidence indicates the natural host/vector system is the opossum and cat flea, the most common flea on both cats and dogs, and speculation suggests that pet contact may pose a risk for R typhi exposure. Serum from 140 subjects was tested for rickettsial antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that used an R typhi antigen. Each subject was asked about pet contact status and placed in one of the following groups: owners, non-owners but with regular contact (more than 3 times per week), non-owners with irregular contact (fewer than 3 times per week), or non-owners with no contact. Overall, 15.7% of sera were positive for antirickettsia IgG. Of owners or those with regular contact, 14 of 96 (14.6%) were seropositive, while 8 of 44 (18.2%) of non-owners or those with irregular contact were seropositive. A chi-square test showed no significant difference among these groups (P > .5). We conclude that pet ownership or regular contact with pets is not a risk factor for exposure to Rickettsia typhi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Stephen F. Austin State University, PO Box 13003, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3003, USA. rwiggers@sfasu.edu
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wiggers
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002415:Cats; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D012306:Risk; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014437:Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*