New Study Maps Threat of Flea-Borne Diseases to U.S. Citizens

Texans are the most at risk of flea-borne diseases, followed by California and New Mexico even though Utah, Kentucky and Iowa are the most paranoid.

As we enter flea season, the study is one part of a comprehensive guide put together by Excel Pest Services to raise awareness of the big risks posed to Americans by these tiny parasites – including analysis of where US citizens are most at risk of serious flea-borne diseases.

“As temperatures rise, fleas may be able to survive in areas where they previously could not, leading to both the expansion of their range and longer flea seasons,” said Ryan Fowley, COO of Excel Pest Services. “Changes in temperature and weather patterns may also impact the populations of the animals that fleas feed on, such as rodents and wild animals, potentially leading to changes in flea populations. All in all, we predict more flea encounters.”

The research shows that although rare, we should be taking cases of flea-borne diseases seriously.

Who is most concerned (and who really should be) when it comes to flea-borne illnesses in the US?

Texas is the state with the worst combined rates for the most common flea-borne diseases, coming top for cat scratch disease and typhus and seventh for incidents of plague.

Californians are next most likely to contract one of these flea-borne diseases, ranking second for typhus, fourth for plague, and fifth for cat scratch disease. Completing the top three, and ranking worst for the plague is New Mexico which also ranked third for typhus cases and eighth for cat-scratch diseases.

Which US states are most paranoid about flea-borne diseases?

But despite cause for concern, it wasn’t these states which were most paranoid about these

flea-borne diseases. Utah, Kentucky and Iowa were the most likely to search about symptoms of Typhus, Plague and Cat scratch disease (despite Utah placing 10, Kentucky placing 27 and Iowa 43 for the number of incidents.)

“Fleas in the US are not necessarily dangerous in the sense that they pose a direct threat to human health,” Fowley said. “But fleas can transmit diseases to both humans and animals, and their bites can cause discomfort, itching, and allergic reactions. In severe cases, fleas can lead to anemia in pets, particularly in puppies and kittens.”