Flea-associated zoonotic diseases of cats in the USA: bartonellosis, flea-borne rickettsioses, and plague.
Cat-scratch disease, flea-borne typhus, and plague are three flea-associated zoonoses of cats of concern in the USA. Although flea concentrations may be heaviest in coastal and temperate climates, fleas and flea-borne disease agents can occur almost anywhere in the USA. Understanding flea-borne pathogens, and the associated risks for owners and veterinarians, is important to reduce the likelihood of zoonotic infection.
McElroy
Kristina M
KM
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Blagburn
Byron L
BL
Breitschwerdt
Edward B
EB
Mead
Paul S
PS
McQuiston
Jennifer H
JH
D000818:Animals; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D002415:Cats; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D010930:Plague / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission