Woman who has live PARASITES 'wiggling around everywhere' in her blood flies to Germany to undergo controversial treatment for Lyme disease

  • Tahlia Smith, 21, was diagnosed with Lyme disease in January this year
  • She has travelled to Germany to undergo controversial treatment
  • A test showed Tahlia's blood contained live Spirochetes bacteria
  • The treatment involves blood filtering and heating her body to 42 degrees
  • Tahlia fundraised $100,000 to undergo the treatment

By Lauren Grounsell For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 23:07 EST, 12 November 2015 | Updated: 23:48 EST, 12 November 2015

Doctors have found live parasites in the blood of a woman suffering from Lyme disease. 

Tahlia Smith, 21, from the New South Wales Hunter Region is undergoing controversial medical treatment in Germany in an attempt to cure her of the debilitating condition.

On her Facebook page Tahlia's Lymes journey to Germany, Tahlia's father Brett updated followers about the gruesome discovery that 'showed live active Spirochetes which is the Lyme Disease itself wiggling around everywhere' in his daughter's blood.

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Unwell: Tahlia Smith has flown to Germany for Lyme disease treatment where doctors found live parasites in her blood

Unwell: Tahlia Smith has flown to Germany for Lyme disease treatment where doctors found live parasites in her blood

Tahlia is undergoing blood filtering treatment in Germany.

Her mother, Lea, told The Sydney Morning Herald the treatment involved heating Tahlia's body up to 42 degrees to kill the borrelia bacterium in her blood.

Mr Smith said a drop of Tahlia's blood before treatment showed 'live active Spirochetes' when placed under a microscope.

'I have never seen anything like it ... this was done four hours after that blood was taken and they were still active,' he wrote on Facebook. 

A devastating diagnosis: Tahlia was diagnosed with Lyme disease, and co-infections babesia and bartonella, in January this year

A devastating diagnosis: Tahlia was diagnosed with Lyme disease, and co-infections babesia and bartonella, in January this year

Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia bacterium which is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick.

Tahlia previously told The Sydney Morning Herald she first noticed what she believed to be a tick bite when she in the US for a performing arts trip, and she was diagnosed with the disease, and the co-infections babesia and bartonella, in January this year.

Her symptoms have included a swollen spinal cord, leg tremours, nausea, headaches, joint pain and fevers, sensitivity to noise and debilitating seizures.

Undergoing treatment: Tahlia's father, Brett, said when they looked at her blood under a microscope they saw 'live active Spirochetes which is the Lyme Disease itself wiggling around everywhere'

Undergoing treatment: Tahlia's father, Brett, said when they looked at her blood under a microscope they saw 'live active Spirochetes which is the Lyme Disease itself wiggling around everywhere'

The Australian government does not subsidise the treatment of Lyme disease, and it's existence in Australia remains the subject of debate.

New South Wales health said: 'although locally-acquired Lyme borreliosis cannot be ruled out, there is little evidence that it occurs in Australia'.

The Maitland Mercury reported Tahlia needed to raise $100,000 to undergo treatment in Germany.

Medical precedure: Thalia is undergoing blood filtration and her mother Lea said treatment also involved heating Tahlia's body up to 42 degrees to kill the borrelia bacterium in her blood

Medical precedure: Thalia is undergoing blood filtration and her mother Lea said treatment also involved heating Tahlia's body up to 42 degrees to kill the borrelia bacterium in her blood

On Tuesday Tahlia updated friends on her condition.

'Since being on the plane my seizures are all over the place,' she wrote.

On the first day of her treatment Tahlia underwent blood filtration, and Mr Smith said the process removed 'all this yellow liquid in various shades'.

'Dr Straube explained that some was heavy metals, pesticides, toxins but the most was inflammation,' he said.

Filtration: Blood filtration removed yellow liquid from Tahlia's blood that doctors said was 'heavy metals, pesticides, toxins' and 'inflammation'

Filtration: Blood filtration removed yellow liquid from Tahlia's blood that doctors said was 'heavy metals, pesticides, toxins' and 'inflammation'

The treatment has left Tahlia exhausted.

But three days in to treatment Mr Smith said they had seen a change in Tahlia's blood which was 'a lot clearer and clean'.

'All of this has left Tahl's feeling extremely sick, again sore and sorry and drained,' he said.

Mrs Smith told The Maitland Mercury she planned to fly out to Germany to be by her daughter's side this weekend.

'She said to me that she looks ­terrible and looks so sick and that she's just not Tahlia,' she said,

'Then she said 'if this treatment results in helping someone else then it's worth it.'  

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