Monrovia woman contracts typhus after disposing of dead rat - Los Angeles Times

A Monrovia woman said she contracted typhus after she disposed of a dead rat found in her backyard.

Weeks earlier, Holzmann disposed of a dead rat found in her yard that was apparently infested with fleas carrying typhus, a bacterial disease often carried by fleas and ticks that causes fever, headaches and rashes within a couple of weeks of exposure.

“Two blocks over, [a neighbor] says her grandfather got it around the same time I did and [it was] also, same thing: disposing of a dead rat on their property,” Holzmann said.

Holzmann said she’s sharing her story in hopes that she can warn others about the dangers of handling and disposing dead wildlife.