Tick-bite associated illnesses are conditions that people can get from a tick bite. Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of animals and humans, and require blood to survive.¹ An animal or human that a tick feeds on is called a host. A tick bites and attaches itself to a host, injects saliva, and feeds from the host’s blood.² As tick saliva contains substances that numb the skin, prevent blood clot, and suppress immune responses, this can allow the tick to feed unnoticed for long periods. A tick can transmit bacteria and viruses between hosts – if a tick feeds on an animal or human that is infected, the tick can carry the bacteria or virus and pass it on to the next host that it feeds on, which can then cause the host to develop a tick-borne illness. ^1,4 Tick saliva may also contain toxins that can cause allergic reactions or paralysis.^1,3

In Australia, ticks are mainly found around the east coast, particularly in moist, humid and bushland areas.^1,2 Ticks and tick-borne diseases are often limited to particular geographical regions and vary between countries. However, increasing international travel and climate changes may contribute to the spread of ticks and tick-bite associated diseases into new areas.¹

Most tick bites do not cause medical issues if the tick is safely and promptly removed.¹ Prevention of tick bites and appropriate tick removal are important to reduce the risk of tick-bite associated illnesses.⁶ Tick bites can be a cause of several illnesses in Australia such as:^1-5

• Tick-induced allergies such as tick anaphylaxis and Mammalian meat allergy
• Tick paralysis
• Australian spotted fever
• Flinders Island spotted fever
• Queensland tick typhus
• Q fever

It should be noted that these illnesses can also be caused and transmitted by other ways apart from the tick bites.

Australians travelling overseas may also acquire other tick-borne diseases if they are bitten by a tick whilst travelling. These may be illnesses caused by bacteria or viruses that are not typically present in Australia. These illnesses are recognised as overseas-acquired tick-borne diseases. In some cases, people may suffer from symptoms of a chronic illness which they associate with being caused by a tick-bite, but the exact cause is unknown and the illness is undiagnosed. The Australian Government uses the term debilitating symptom complexes attributed to ticks (DSCATT) to describe people living with chronic, debilitating symptoms commonly associated with tick bites, and cannot be attributed to another condition.⁵ DSCATT is not a diagnosis or a disease, but a description to acknowledge this group of individuals.

Universal rare disease classifications provide a common language for recording, reporting and monitoring diseases. Please visit the Rare Disease Classifications page for more information about these internationally recognised classifications.

There is no known ORPHAcode or ICD:11 classification.

Symptoms, severity and duration of diseases may vary depending on the specific tick-bite associated illness.⁵ Symptoms are usually mild, but it can be severe and lead to other complications.⁴ Common symptoms of tick-bite associated illnesses include but not limited to:^1-6

• redness, itching and swelling around the bite
• allergic reactions which can range from mild to severe or life-threatening (anaphylaxis)
• fatigue
• fever
• chills
• headache
• joint pain
• muscle pain
• rash
• paralysis

Please speak to your medical team to learn more about the signs and symptoms of a specific type of tick-bite associated illness.

Rare diseases are often serious and progressive, exhibiting a high degree of symptom complexity, leading to significant disability. Majority of the estimated two million Australians living with a rare disease meet the Australian Government’s definition for disability (in accordance to the Australian Public Service Commission and Australian Bureau of Statistics), and many experience severe and permanent disability impacts. If you or someone you care for is experiencing disability-related impacts from a rare condition, please speak with a health or disability professional for advice. Information about relevant disability support can be found at the RARE Portal’s Disability Support Information page.

Tick-bite associated illnesses are caused by tick bites, exposure to tick saliva and toxins, or transmission of bacteria or virus carried by ticks.^1-7

In Australia, majority of tick bites in human as well as tick-bite associated illnesses are caused by a species of tick called the Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocylus).^6,7 Different tick species can carry different infections, and are often found in particular regions in Australia.

Queensland Tick Typhus, Flinders Island Spotted Fever, and Australian Spotted Fever are caused by Rickettsia bacteria.^1,5,7 Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii bacteria.¹

Diagnosis of tick-bite associated illnesses may be made based on:^1-9

• physical examination to check for presence of tick bite or other rashes
• time course of symptoms, or particular symptom cluster
• travel history
• medical history
• family history
• social history or occupation
• laboratory and blood tests

Please speak to your medical team to learn more about the available diagnostic pathways for a specific type of tick-bite associated illness.

Treatment of tick-bite associated illnesses depends on the specific condition, severity of symptoms, and any history of tick allergy. Early management involves prompt and appropriate tick removal, cleaning of the bite site, and monitoring for the development of symptoms.^6-8

Bacterial infections such as Queensland Tick Typhus, Flinders Island Spotted Fever, Australian Spotted Fever, and Q fever are often treated with antibiotics.⁸

Allergic reactions may require antihistamines, corticosteroids, or emergency management in the cases of anaphylaxis.^2,5,6 Individuals with breathing difficulties may require ventilation support.⁸

For individuals without a diagnosis, supportive care and symptomatic management are important.⁹

Please speak to your medical team to learn more about the possible treatment or management options for your condition. Treatment will depend on an individual’s specific condition and symptoms. It is also important to stay connected to your medical team so that you can be made aware of any upcoming clinical trial opportunities. For many rare diseases, treatment options may be limited. Participation in a clinical trial may provide access to new or emerging therapies.

Healthcare professionals involved in the care of individuals with tick-bite associated illness may include general practitioners (GP), specialist microbiologists, infectious disease physicians, clinical immunologists and others.^1,2 The need for different healthcare professionals may change over a person’s lifetime and extend beyond those listed here.

Clinical care for rare diseases often involves a multidisciplinary team of medical, care and support professionals. Please note that the information provided here is as a guide and that RVA does not necessarily monitor or endorse specific clinics or health experts.

This may not be applicable to all rare diseases but for many, palliative care services may be relevant and useful. Palliative care services are available for people (adults, children and their families) living with a life-limiting illness and is not only for end-of-life care. It can also help at any stage of illness from diagnosis onwards, and will look different for different people. Palliative care services provide assistance, support, resources and tools to help people manage their illness and the symptoms, ease pain, and improve comfort and quality of life. If this is relevant to you and you wish to find out more information about palliative care and how it can help you, please visit:

• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Palliative care Overview
• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: Palliative care
• Palliative Care Australia

Australian Centre for Disease Control: Tick bite-associated illnesses – Resources for the health sector includes guidance notes for medical practitioners and hospital.

Individuals living with rare diseases may have complex medical issues and disabilities, which are not always visible. It is often useful to refer to their medical history as well as personal information such as a medical card, doctor’s letter, or if available, a rare disease passport, for relevant information.

In addition, individuals, their parents, families and carers often develop extensive expertise on their specific rare disease. It is important to recognise that they can contribute valuable knowledge about their rare condition. Rare diseases often impact individuals differently, so it’s important to consider a person’s lived experience.

It may be important that:^1,2,5,6,8

• Individuals with a known tick allergy seek urgent medical attention and tick removal should be performed by medical professionals. Tick should be safely removed to avoid disturbing the tick which may cause more tick saliva to be injected. More information on safe tick removal can be found at the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy: Insect and Tick Allergy.
• Tick-related allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis can be life-threatening. A first aid plan is available at ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis.

There are specific considerations around participating in rare disease research, including clinical trials. It is important to be mindful of issues such as data privacy, research ethics, consent and differences in research regulations between Australia and other countries. For more information, please visit the RARE Portal’s Considerations for Participating in Health and Medical Research page.

If you are interested in finding clinical trials for your condition, please visit the following websites; however, there may not be any clinical trials available:

• Australian Clinical Trials
• ClinicalTrials.gov

It is best to discuss your interest in research, including clinical trials,  with your medical team to determine suitability and eligibility.

We are not aware of any tick-bite associated illnesses support group in Australia. If you are aware of any Australian organisation, please let us know via the Contribute page.

Please note that RVA does not monitor or endorse each group/organisation’s operational governance and activities. When engaging with a group, please consider the information on the RARE Portal’s Finding Helpful Peer and Community Supports page.

Tick-bite associated illness varies between individuals, and each person’s experience is unique.

If you would like to share your personal story with RVA, please visit the Rare Voices Australia: Share Your Story page. RVA will consider your story for publishing on our website and inclusion on the RARE Portal.

For information on available government and social services that provide support for individuals with a rare disease, please visit the National and State Services pages.

People living with a rare disease often face unique challenges such as diagnostic delays, misdiagnoses, limited treatment options, and limited access to rare disease specialists and support. These challenges may impact people’s emotional wellbeing and quality of life. Many find it helpful to seek mental health and wellbeing support to cope with ongoing stress and uncertainty. Connecting with people who have shared experiences through a support group may also be helpful. Information about relevant mental health and wellbeing support can be found at:

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Support for Australians Living with a Rare Disease
• The National and State Services pages underneath the ‘Mental Health’ sections listed

Further information relevant to tick-bite associated illnesses can be found at:

• Australian Centre for Disease Control: Tick bite-associated illnesses resources for the general public
• Healthdirect: Tick bites
• Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy: Insect and Tick Allergy

Australian Government: Tick-bite associated illnesses – Resources for the health sector

Australian Government: Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks (DSCATT) Clinical Pathway (2020)

This page has been developed by Rare Voices Australia (RVA)’s RARE Portal team. 

If you are aware of any additional information that may benefit stakeholders with an interest in this page, or if you notice any broken links or inaccurate information, please let us know via the Contribute page.