Ross River Fever: How mum’s ‘mystery illness’ changed her life

It was supposed to be an annual family holiday. But the trip left along Victoria’s coastline left an Aussie mum in pain and searching for answers.

It was supposed to be an annual family holiday along the Victorian coastline like every other year.

But in 2017, a hot and muggy festive season enjoying all that Anglesey had on offer turned into a nightmare for mother-of-three, Shannon Dolman.

Having made the three hour trip from Melbourne with her young family for the Christmas holidays, Mrs Dolman didn’t think much of the wet start to the festive season followed by a string of warmer weather.

After spending two weeks with family and friends, it wasn't until Mrs Dolman returned home that the first few symptoms of her “mystery illness” began to take hold.

“When we got home I started getting severe back pain and a sore right foot,” she told news.com.au.

“I was quite tired … but I figured I’d been in a caravan, drinking more, not sleeping as well … I didn’t think anything of it. I thought maybe I had sciatica.”

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Shannon Dolman, right, said the particular camping trip where she got the virus was "wet and hot".

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When the symptoms didn’t go away, Ms Dolman decided to see a physiotherapist. After failing to reach a conclusion around the source of the pain, her mother found an article about Ross River Fever that had similar symptoms to what she’d been experiencing.

“The physio said it was unlikely [to be Ross River Fever] as I had’t been anywhere tropical,” she explained. So I went with the advice it was unlikely … but then my symptoms got worse.”

Mrs Dolman said the pain in her hands became so strong she was no longer able to do her daughter’s hair.

“I became very tired as well,” she explained. “The pain in my foot got so bad I couldn’t walk … There is no tiredness like it … It was next level, and some days I couldn’t even get dressed.”

Mrs Dolman, bottom right, went on the annual camping trip with her family when she began to feel unwell.

She saw further specialists but wasn’t diagnosed with the illness until after Easter.

“It took four months for someone to diagnose I had Ross River,” she explained.

“I went to a neurosurgeon who got me scanned on the foot, brain and back. I had lots of MRIs and sent in for specific blood tests which gave me the diagnosis that I had Ross River Fever.”

According to NSW Health, Ross River Fever is caused by infection with Ross River virus, one of a group of viruses called arboviruses, which are spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes.

While many people with the virus do not develop symptoms, other develop flu-like symptoms that include fever, chills, headache and aches and pains in the muscles and joints.

A general feeling of being unwell, tired or weak may also occur at times during the illness, with symptoms typically developing about 7-10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Experts fear the La Niña weather pattern in Australia will cause more mosquitoes than normal.

The majority of people recover completely in a few weeks. Others may experience symptoms such as joint pain and tiredness for many months, such as in Mrs Dolman’s case.

“Because it’s a virus you can’t take medication,” she explained. You body’s immunity just needs to fight it … but for me it took a good 18 months to get over it all.”

Andrew Raper – CEO for popular mosquito repellent Bushman, which has recently launched a ‘natural’ range of product – said that with La Niña taking hold across Australia over the summer period, wet and warm condition create the ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes.

“There’s nothing worse than having a barbecue with family or a hike with friends ruined by

mosquitoes, whether it’s a sole mozzie that is found after the damage has already been done or if you’ve been attacked by an entire swarm,” Mr Raper says.

“Mosquitoes don’t live very long — no more than about three weeks – but unfortunately we can expect to see several ‘surges’ over summer thanks to La Niña.”