The Hill family -
Nick, Fiona, Max, 8, and Jess, 5, all have Lyme disease and are raising
money for treatment in Germany. Pictured in their Manly home.
A family who are all battling the same life-threatening illness say it was caused by a single tick bite.
Fiona Hall, 39, from Manly, says ticks are prevalent on the northern beaches and she thinks she was bitten around ten years ago.
I LOST MY EYESIGHT AFTER TICK BITE, SAYS MUM-TO-BE
But
despite debilitating symptoms including extreme fatigue, muscle
wastage, weight loss, aching joints, spasms and neurological problems to
name a few, she was only diagnosed with Lyme disease last year after
blood tests were sent to the US for analysis, following years of
misdiagnosis.
Electron Microscope images of a tick.
Her two children Max, 8 and Jess, 5, who are also displaying symptoms, have also had blood tests come back positive.
Dad Nick, 42, believes he also has Lyme disease although he hasn’t had a blood test.
Through her tears Mrs Hall, told the Manly Daily their lives had been devastated by this tick bite.
“It’s been life changing,” said Mrs Hall, a nurse, who has been too sick to work for the past few years.
The Hill family - Nick, Fiona, Max,
8, and Jess, 5, all have Lyme disease and are raising money for
treatment in Germany. Mr Hall will be running in the Pub 2 Pub in his
lime green suit. Photo by Annika Enderborg
“I have been so ill, but the children are my biggest worry. I
am so frightened for them. Evidence suggests when they hit puberty their
health will worsen.”
Health chiefs are currently reviewing the
status of the disease which has never been recognised in Australia,
unlike the US and Europe.
If Lyme disease or a Lyme-like disease is recognised it could lead to improvements in diagnosis and awareness.
But,
Jennifer Sherer, vice-president of the Lyme Disease Association of
Australia, insisted the northern beaches were a “known Lyme disease tick
hotspot”.
Deer tick embedded in skin of leg. These ticks are approximately 2.5mm long and can transmit Lyme disease
to humans.
Early symptoms may include fever, headache and fatigue. If the
disease is caught quickly, within the first few weeks, it can be
treated simply with antibiotics, but if not the bacteria borrelia can
invade every area of the body and becomes difficult to treat. It can
even kill.
Like many people, Mrs Hall doesn’t even remember being
bitten and she didn’t get the tell tell bullseye rash around the bite
area. But what she does know is her health has dramatically declined,
particularly over the last two years.
She believes she was the
only one infected in the family, but unwittingly passed on the disease
to her children while pregnant and also to her husband.
Doctors
offering pioneering treatment at a specialist clinic in Germany, where
more than 100 Australians are being treated this year, say the disease
can be passed sexually from person to person and partners need to be
treated too.
The Hill family - Nick, Fiona, Max,
8, and Jess, 5, all have Lyme disease and are raising money for
treatment in Germany. Pictured in their Manly home. Photo by Annika
Enderborg
The treatment is not for the faint-hearted. Patients are put
under anaesthetic and their body is slowly heated to a temperature of 42
degrees. The borrelia bacteria which causes Lyme disease dies at 41.5
degrees.
While children can’t be treated at this clinic, the
family are looking at similar treatment for them at other clinics in
Germany.
The couple are currently selling their home in Manly to
help fund the treatment which costs over $21,500 per person not
including flights and accommodation or the recommended aftercare and
supplements which will be over $500 per week, and are appealing to the
generosity of people on the northern beaches to help fund the treatment.
Mr
Hall, an online trader, said they had exhausted their finances to pay
for alternative therapies which have eased symptoms for Mrs Hall.
Mr
Hall is dressing in a lime skin tight suit and running in the Pub 2 Pub
13km fun run next Sunday to raise funds for his family and raise
awareness of Lyme disease.
REDUCE THE RISK
■
Ideally spray tick with ether-containing aerosol spray (available over
the counter at pharmacies) to kill it and wait for it to drop off
■ Don’t use tweezers, or pull or push on tick, this may cause it to release toxins from saliva sacks
■ Otherwise use a knife and try to scrape tick off
■ Avoid scratching areas you can’t see
For great rates on pest control anywhere in Sydney, call us today on 1300
08 25 52
Or visit our website at: www.Provenpest.com.au
We are receiving unusually high rates of calls from clients regarding
ticks at their homes. With the recent warmer days, ticks are quickly
establishing themselves in home owners gardens much to the dislike of
home owners and their pets.
Recently we completed a treatment to control ticks in the Toowong
area where our customer was finding ticks on his arms and legs after
working around his yard.
Tick Characteristics
Ticks only food source is blood of warm-blooded animals and all
active stages require a blood meal for nutrition. The most common hosts
are dogs, cats, bandicoots, echidnas and possums, however sometimes
humans can also provide the nutrition they need.
Health risks and issues
Ticks are responsible for the poisoning of many native and domestic
animals. The effects range from discomfort and illness to death. In
humans, effects can range from mild to severe allergic reactions to
paralysis. There have been recorded deaths attributed to the paralysis
tick. Ticks also have the potential to spread infectious diseases,
although Australia is largely free of tick borne diseases.
If you are bitten by a tick, do not touch the tick as this will make the situation worse. Follow these
First Aid steps to remove the tick as quickly as possible.
Health risks for your pets
Early signs that your pet may have come into contact with a tick include:
- Wobbly’ in the back legs or unsteady on their feet
- Change in tone of your dogs bark
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting or dry retching
- Excessive salivation
- Difficulty swallowing
- Coughing
- Noisy panting
If your suspect your pets are suffering from the effect of tick poisoning, please contact your local Veterinarian immediately.
How do you get rid of ticks?
Effective removal of ticks is best achieved through an Integrated
Pest Management approach, which include changing the habitat and
chemical control.
Top Tips – DIY
You can also follow these simple steps to help reduce ticks at your place:
- Mow lawns and attend to other habitat modifications as recommended by your technician.
- Treat pets with approved tick treatments.
- Remove children’s toys and similar items from the yard when not in use.
- Discuss other requirements with your local Amalgamated Pest Control branch. i.e., what needs to be done after treatment?
