Tick Borne Diseases

Ticks are the most common carriers of tick borne diseases. Lyme Borreliosis can be transmitted by a tick bite and potentially by any other blood sucking insect. Lyme Borreliosis is one of the fastest growing infections in the world, causing a variety of symptoms including those of Lyme Disease. It can develop within the first few weeks after a tick bite or many months (or even years) later. Lyme Borreliosis is a complex zoonotic illness. A multisystemic disease with non-specific symptoms, usually accompanied by multiple co-infections like Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma and other viruses. Increasing number of infections increase the possibility of immune suppression. It is an emerging infectious disease which is not currently recognised in Australia.

The most common symptoms include fever, sweat attacks, prolonged tiredness, sore throat, stiff neck, muscle pain, joint pain, a bulls eye rash and flu-like reactions during the early stages following a tick bite. In chronic stage it is also known to cause paralysis, chronic fatigue, malaise, cognitive dysfunction, carditis, gut problems, seizures, neuropathy, encephalitis, meningitis, joint pain, respiratory problems, muscle twitches, muscle wasting, depression and mental health problems. Treatment involves a holistic approach involving antibiotics to address the infection, and complementary supplements. It is difficult to treat due to the herxheimer reaction — this is when the patient’s symptoms get worse as dying bacteria during treatment release toxins. Removing toxins and supporting the patient help to bring about positive outcomes. Testing for tick borne diseases in Australia is unreliable due to the high number of genospecies and assumption of a competent immune system in the host. As a result of immune dysfunction, allergic reactions are common and due to the herxheimer reaction, lower dose of antibiotics then what is commonly available may be needed. In addition, due to gut dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) alternate dosage forms may be required.

This is where a compounding chemist with specialist knowledge of tick borne diseases is able to help you. Contact us today by using the web form on our home or contact page.

The Karl McManus Foundation

The Karl McManus Foundation was set up in memory of Karl McManus, a truly special man who sadly passed away in July 2010 from complications with Lyme disease. Karl’s memory lives on through the foundation and the many lives he touched. The mission of The Karl McManus Foundation is to improve the understanding of Australia’s tick borne diseases including borreliosis (Lyme disease, Lyme Borreliosis, relapsing fever or Reptilian Borrelia), Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and other tick borne diseases, to erode the barriers to the recognition and treatment of borreliosis in Australia, and in doing so, to also contribute to world knowledge. The Karl McManus Foundation aims to do this by raising awareness and facilitating research (a primary focus is to fund research to identify the causative agents of Australian tick borne diseases and their detection and treatment).

Further objectives include advocating for better testing and treatment, ensuring translation of Australian and international evidence-based medical research into Australian policy and practice, educating doctors and other health professionals, alerting and educating the public (especially on the prevention of tick bites), and most importantly encouraging differential diagnosis of chronic diseases that borreliosis and co-infections can imitate, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease (MND), multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease, fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

For further information about tick borne diseases visit The Karl McManus Foundation website
www.karlmcmanus.org.au

Contact

LOCATION

118A Redfern Street
Redfern NSW 2016

GET IN TOUCH

goldcrosspharmacy@gmail.com
Phone (02) 9698 2155
Fax (02) 9318 0783

OPENING HOURS

Monday–Friday 8am-9pm
Saturday 9am-7pm
Sunday 9am-4pm

*Closed public holidays