Fleas are the main
vectors of
Rickettsia felis and it is present in
cat fleas worldwide. Human infection usually results from flea feces coming into contact with scratched or broken skin. Human infection is known as
cat flea rickettsiosis,
flea-borne spotted fever, and
cat flea typhus. An
eschar develops at the site of the flea bite.
Doxycycline is used for treatment of clinical patients. In particular there is concern about the prevalence of
Rickettsia felis in regions such as parts of sub-Saharan Africa, in mosquito genera such as
Anopheles,
Aedes,
Mansonia, and
Culex; all of these genera include species that are challenging to control and have long been recognised as effective vectors of various important human and animal diseases. In addition, in tropical regions where
Aedes albopictus and
Aedes aegypti are established disease vectors and ectoparasites of humans, patients have tested positive for
Rickettsia felis. To some authorities this suggests that
Aedes species might be able to infect their hosts with
Rickettsia felis, and that patients in, or returning from, the tropics with fevers of unknown origin, should be tested for
Rickettsia felis infection. They see as very real, the possibility that
Rickettsia felis might be the next mosquito-borne pathogen to emerge as a multi-continental disease outbreak. ==Australia==