A new study found that some cats in the Rio Grande Valley are carrying fleas that can make people sick.

Andres Martinez, a resident of Indian Hills north of Mercedes, reached out to Channel 5 after he found out he had typhus. He is still recovering.

"I still feel down," Martinez said.

Typhus is a bacterial infection caused by flea bites. The Valley is home to some of the highest number of cases in the state.

According to the Department of State Health Services, Hidalgo County saw 98 typhus infections in 2023. State data between 2008 and 2023 shows Hidalgo County saw nearly 1,400 cases.

That number made up 20% of the total cases reported across the entire state during that same time frame.

Researchers found the bacteria that causes typhus in fleas removed from six of the 167 cats sampled.

"We know that the fleas that transmit this bacteria to humans, are maintained by animal populations, predominantly cats," Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science Epidemiologist Sarah Hamer said.

Hamer wanted to better understand how common the bacteria carried by fleas show up in an area where human cases of murine typhus continue to occur.

"They found a small percent of the fleas removed from these cats carried the bacteria that can cause human murine typhus," Hamer said.

Amy Gonzalez, an epidemiologist with the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department, said typhus is endemic in the area, meaning the disease is always around.

"We have a very hot, humid, subtropical temperature that allows for fleas to continuously populate in our communities," Gonzalez said.

She explained how fleas spread the bacteria to people.

"Fleas that are tiny, we tend not to see them. A flea will come, and it'll bite. While it's biting you, it's pooping, and in that poop there's bacteria that has been located within this study," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez recommended all pet owners keep their animals up to date on flea medications and report any stray animals to their local city or county animal control officers.

She also said anyone with symptoms like fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea should get tested first.

"That test comes out positive, and then they can prescribe you the correct antibiotics for that," Gonzalez said.

Martinez said the findings did not surprise him.

"I'm not too surprised because I got the disease in myself," Martinez said.

Watch the video above for the full story.