Bite of the " Bush Tick " !

It seems that the " march of medicine " to cure the diseases that inflict new horrors is evenly matched by the ability of old diseases to take new forms and migrate to different parts of the world. When HIV and AIDS entered the lexicon decades ago the dreaded result of a blood test was a virtual death sentence.  Today - with careful management - sufferers expect an extended lifetime.

The siting of the Olympics this year in Africa is coinciding with the arrival of the Zika virus.  People from all over the world will gather in a country where this is rampant, and desperate measures are being taken to reduce the mosquito population which is its host.  The danger seems to be confined to infected women who become pregnant with Zika resulting in babies born with smaller than usual heads and consequent less developed brains.   To the consternation of many, it now seems that males infected with Zika may sexually transfer this virus to their partners.

Here in Australia an old enemy is appearing in a new guise.  The bush " Tick " is common on the entire east coast and it is known to infect dogs taken for a walk where their coat comes into contact with shrubs and ferns.  It also attaches to humans, but both dogs and people usually recover quickly if given treatment.

We are now seeing a new reaction to Tick bites on humans. Those with it's poison in their system find themselves unable to eat red meat without getting an anaphylactic reaction.  This may develop months after coming into contact with a Tick and it may not become evident until eight hours after eating a meal that contained meat.   This is very similar to the anaphylactic reaction to nuts that seems to have become much more prevalent in today's children.   Sufferers are urged to carry an epipen with them at all times.

It is unclear how this transfer to a meat rejection has occurred in Tick venom but general practitioners on Sydney's north shore, where ticks are prevalent are now treating one or two sufferers a week and it is evident that this problem is becoming expansive. Sufferers face meal choices restricted to fish and chicken and great care must be taken when ordering fare such as pizzas to make sure that any red meat derivative is excluded.

It also has changed the procedure for dealing with Tick bites.  Removing them with tweezers risks pressure causing more of their poison to enter the body and it is recommended that they be " frozen " with a spray obtainable from chemists.   For those unable to gain access to this spray, it is better to ignore the Tick and let it drop off of it's own accord - usually within three hours of initial attachment.

Many will wonder if global warming is the factor causing old diseases to develop new properties. Sydney has just had the warmest and driest summer on record and it seems that a warmer ocean is causing bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef.   If we are to become more tropical, it stands to reason that we can expect more of the conditions that affect the tropics to become prevalent here.

Avoiding the common bush Tick is now a must for those who wish to avoid a serious lifestyle change - the inability to enjoy the pleasure of red meat on the nightly dinner plate !