Over three decades as a GP in northern Sydney, Richard Schloeffel saw thousands of patients with complex chronic diseases.

Many lived with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), while others struggled with long COVID.

But it was a group of patients with debilitating, ongoing symptoms linked to tick bites that prompted the now-retired GP to undertake further research.

"I think tick-borne illness can be treated," Dr Schloeffel, now a researcher at Macquarie University, said.

" It's just that you have to believe the patient is sick in the first place. "

Most common DSCATT symptoms:

fatigue

disordered thinking

sensory disturbance

joint pain

headache.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Once described as "Lyme-like illness", thousands of Au

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