WORRIED friends and family of popular hairdresser Dez Ginns are pleading for help to deal with a debilitating virus that has him on life support.

Mr Ginns has been in a coma for several weeks at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital after a holiday to Bali went horribly wrong.

The Mooloolaba man, and father of Big Brother winner Ryan, was bitten by a mosquito and contracted Japanese encephalitis.

Family friend of several decades Jen Nichols said doctors were initially perplexed with how to treat Mr Ginns.

Daughter Abbey said it was a "one in a million" disease.

Because the virus is so rare in Australia, the family are putting the call out for anyone who has suffered from it to contact them for advice.

"Anyone out there with more knowledge about it the family would be so welcome to hear from," Ms Nichols said.

"They're (the family) so grateful to the hospital staff but anyone who can contribute might save his life.

"It's just so unknown, so rare, there are so many questions on what can be done."

Over the weekend, loved ones created a GoFundMe Page found at Dez Needs Our Help! where almost 300 people have pitched in to raise more than $36,000.

However, more is needed to help the larger than life character's recovery.

Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service public health physician Dr Virginia McLaughlin said people with the serious disease or infection can have no symptoms or present as a mild fever, with or without a headache.

"This infection can also have long-term health impacts," Dr McLaughlin said.

"The virus is a significant public health problem in many parts of Asia, and occasional outbreaks have occurred in the Torres Strait.

"There is no local transmission of Japanese encephalitis on the Sunshine Coast and there is no direct human to human transmission."