Murine Typhus Investigations in Southwestern Georgia: A Review

Abstract

EFFORTS to control murine typhus fever in the southeastern United States, although overshadowed by accomplishments in the con¬ trol of malaria, have achieved results which are almost as spectacular. An outstanding reduction of murine typhus transmission was accomplished within 25 years after the role of the rat and rat flea as host and vector of murine typhus was first suggested by Maxcy in 1926 (1) on the basis of epidemiological studies in Alabama and Georgia and validated in 1931 by Dyer, Rumreich, and Badger (#), who isolated the pathogen from fleas collected from wild rats.The introduction of DDT, an insecticide with prolonged residual toxicity, into typhus control programs in 1945 and of anticoagulant rat poison in 1947 provided the tools with which the control of murine typhus was finally ac¬ complished (fig. 1).Incidence of the disease always has been greatest in the southeastern section of the coun¬ try (fig. 2). Reported cases from 10 of the southeastern States rose from 1,799 in 1940 to 5,292 in 1944. Studies by Hill and co-workers

History, Rats, Fleas, and Opossums: The Ascendency of Flea-Borne Typhus in the United States, 1910–1944

“…Dis. 2020, 5, 37 15 of 30 GA rose to 1135 in 1939 and remained high at 1111 in 1945 [153]. In 1945, the incidence rates in southern GA counties ranged from 202 to 218 per 100,000 residents [154].…”

“…From May 1942 to June 1945, the TCU participated in 61 rodent control projects [133]. Despite these measures, the number of cases in GA rose to 1135 in 1939 and remained high at 1111 in 1945 [153]. In 1945, the incidence rates in southern GA counties ranged from 202 to 218 per 100,000 residents [154].…”