Queensland tick typhus

At a glance

No vaccine available – read more about prevention
Not nationally notifiable.

About Queensland tick typhus

Queensland tick typhus is caused by the Rickettsia australis bacterium, which is carried by the:

Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus)
southern paralysis tick (Ixodes cornuatus)
common marsupial tick (Ixodes tasmani).

These tick species are found along the east coast of Australia – from the Torres Strait Islands to Gippsland, Victoria.

Queensland tick typhus is part of a group of illnesses caused by Rickettsia bacteria, which includes other spotted fever infections and typhus infections. It causes similar symptoms to Flinders Island spotted fever and Australian spotted fever.

For most people, Queensland tick typhus is mild, but it can be very serious and cause severe illness and death.

Why it matters to public health

Queensland tick typhus is an important cause of acute febrile illness (the rapid onset of fever and symptoms).

The disease is spreading to more areas of Australia and becoming more common, due to changes in climate and human population demographics.

But because it is not a well-known disease, it can go unrecognised, and its true extent is not known.

Although it is usually mild, it can cause severe sepsis, multi-organ failure and, rarely, death.

Severe infection can be misdiagnosed or the symptoms treated without knowing the cause.

Symptoms

Early symptoms are often non-specific, making diagnosis challenging.

Common symptoms include:

fever
headache
fatigue
muscle aches
rash across the chest, abdomen and limbs
swollen glands near the tick bite
ulcer or scab (known as eschar) at the site of the tick bite.

Less common symptoms include:

joint pain
enlarged spleen
abdominal pain
dry cough
sore throat
conjunctivitis
intolerance to light (photophobia).

Queensland tick typhus can also result in complications to the vascular system, severe infection and necrosis. And there have been reports of confusion, seizures, and hallucinations.

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Onset of symptoms

Symptoms usually start between 7 to 14 days after getting infected.

How it spreads

Queensland tick typhus spreads to humans through the bite of infected ticks after they have fed on an infected animal or person

The Australian paralysis tick attaches to many animals, including dogs, cats, chickens and other fowl, wallabies, kangaroos, bandicoots, possums, dingoes, rabbits and black rats.

For the common marsupial tick, hosts are likely to be small mammals.

Infectious period

Queensland tick typhus does not spread between people.

People who have had Queensland tick typhus are not likely to get infected again.

Prevention

There is no vaccine against Queensland tick typhus.

The best protection is to prevent tick bites and correctly remove an attached tick. Never disturb the tick or try to remove it while it’s alive.

Priority groups and settings

People who regularly spend a lot of time outdoors are most at risk. It’s important to take steps to prevent tick bites.

People at greater risk of severe disease

Anyone can develop severe symptoms or complications, especially if treatment is delayed.

There is no evidence of long-term (chronic) Queensland tick typhus infection.

People at greater risk of exposure

People are at greater risk of being exposed if they live, work or spend a lot of time outdoors in regions where infected ticks are found, especially in:

grassy, bushy and wooded areas
moist, humid coastal areas.

Peak season for Queensland tick typhus is late winter, but it can occur at any time of year.

Diagnosis and treatment

Queensland tick typhus is usually suspected clinically, with a confirmed diagnosis through a blood test.

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Queensland tick typhus is treated with antibiotics.

Read more about how to manage or treat Queensland tick typhus.

Surveillance and reporting

Tick-borne rickettsial diseases, like Queensland tick typhus, are not nationally notifiable diseases in Australia, but health professionals must notify state authorities of cases of:

rickettsial infection in Western Australia
typhus (all types) in the Northern Territory
typhus (epidemic) in New South Wales.