This project is a prospective, Australian, patient centric, longitudinal clinical and laboratory investigation of Tick-Borne Disease which focuses on sample collection and associated data. It aims to evaluate the effectiveness of serological, immunological and Various 'omics platforms.
Two hundred and forty patients with undiagnosed, untreated, and recent suspected tick bite will be recruited. Health information and biospecimens (blood, urine, faeces, skin biopsies and others) will be collected eight times over two years. Patient samples will be analysed for inflammatory biomarkers, immune responses, cellular dysfunctions and virulence genes.
What is the issue for NSW?
To date the evidence available to describe the relationship between tick bites and health effects in Australia is limited. Most tick bites cause little more than itchiness. However, tick bites can cause health problems ranging from localised reactions to systemic illnesses.
Patients suffering from Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks have endured years of misdiagnosis and incapacitating symptoms, and often are unable to work or function.
In 2016, the Australian Parliament Senate Community Affairs References Committee published its final report to address the growing evidence of emerging tick borne disease.
What does the research aim to do and how?
This study aims to address the majority of recommendations from the Senate Committee's Final Report.
The longitudinal collections will be used to identify novel predictive factors, and fundamental occurrences of inflammatory biomarkers, immune responses, cellular dysfunctions, and virulence genes present in patients with tick borne disease.
Collected samples will be analysed using the internationally recognised diagnostic test TICKPLEX® Plus and compared with Australian pathology testing. The comparative analysis of these two test results will provide valuable data to regulators to improve diagnostic tools in Australia.
The meta genomics and transcriptomics on samples will identify potential infecting microbes.
Additional biomarker testing will deepen understanding of the level of inflammation, immune response and the degree of cellular dysfunction present in patients with tick borne disease. This work will produce improved diagnostic tools for illness associated with tick bites, and result in faster diagnosis and reduced burden on the healthcare system.