Vanina Guernier is an Infectious Disease Specialist based in Townsville, working from 1 James Cook Drive, Townsville QLD 4811. She looks after people who have infections that can come on after being around insects, ticks, animals, or in the environment.
Infectious diseases can be tricky. Symptoms don’t always start the way you’d expect, and at times they can look like other common illnesses. Vanina focuses on getting the right diagnosis and making sure treatment fits the cause. That might mean urgent support when someone is feeling very unwell, or careful follow-up when symptoms need time and monitoring to settle.
Her clinical work includes infections such as leptospirosis, rickettsialpox, spotted fever, typhus, tick paralysis, and other infections linked to Togaviridae. These conditions can be more common after outdoor exposure, travel, or contact with infected animals. In many cases, early checks and timely treatment make a big difference to how well people do.
Tick paralysis is one example where speed matters. It can affect the nerves and can get worse over time. Leptospirosis is another one that can be picked up after exposure to water or areas where animals have been. Rickettsial illnesses and spotted fever can also be hard to spot at first, especially if there’s no obvious history of a tick bite.
Vanina’s approach is steady and practical. She helps patients and families understand what’s going on, what the likely next steps are, and why certain tests are needed. She also explains how treatment is chosen, and what warning signs should be taken seriously. If results are not clear right away, she still works with a plan, based on the most likely possibilities and the person’s symptoms.
While each infection is different, the goal stays the same: get control of the illness, reduce complications, and support recovery. Over time, she builds care plans that take account of the person’s situation, including how severe the symptoms are and how quickly they started.
Infectious disease care also involves staying up to date as new information comes through and as patterns of illness change. Vanina keeps learning through ongoing professional development, so her decisions are grounded in current best practice.
If you’ve had recent outdoor exposure, you’re worried about a tick-related illness, or you have ongoing fever and feel like something isn’t quite right, Vanina can help you work out the safest next step. She focuses on calm, clear communication and quality care from the start.