Austinmer’s Vivianne Vandenberg feels lucky to be alive after a tick bite almost turned deadly last month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 57-year-old was injected with adrenalin and rushed to hospital after a paralysis tick latched onto her hip during a bushwalk at Currarong on September 3.
Australia’s eastern seaboard has the highest tick allergy incidence in the world thanks to the paralysis tick – a fact that is causing Ms Vandenberg to consider moving after 30 years in the region.
‘’If I get a tick and it is disturbed and injects its toxin into me I could suffer the same or worse reaction – it could be fatal.’’
Ms Vandenberg credits the quick action of friends including Julie Gilbert for her survival.
‘’My friends used the best available knowledge they had to treat my tick bite – they smothered it in cold cream and then Julie plucked it out with tweezers,’’ she said.
‘’She did get the whole tick out but it had already done its dirty work. I had had ticks out in the past with fingernails, but this time my immune system decided to shut down. It could happen to anyone.’’
Ms Gilbert said within minutes of plucking the tick out, Ms Vandenberg was unconscious and her pulse could not be found.
‘’We were ready to start CPR but the paramedics came quickly and took her to Milton Ulladulla hospital,’’ Ms Gilbert said.