Lone Star Tick disease: Scientists have verified the first known death tied to a serious meat allergy brought on by a tick bite. The man, who passed away in 2024 after eating a burger, had alpha-gal syndrome. This condition begins after certain tick bites and leads to dangerous allergic reactions to red meat and other foods made from animals. Two weeks before his death, he had already reacted badly after eating a steak. “The sad part is that no one recognised that earlier incident as anaphylaxis, so it was never linked to the beef,” said study co-author Thomas Platts-Mills, an allergist at the University of Virginia School of Medicine who helped identify alpha-gal syndrome and diagnosed the New Jersey case, during an interview with NBC News. But how did he develop this condition in the first place?Lone Star Tick: What Are Lone Star Ticks?A tick marked with a small white dot is known as the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Many people already know that certain tick species can threaten human health. Lone star ticks are mainly found in Texas and Oklahoma, stretching across the Southern states and moving up the Atlantic coastline to parts of Maine. They live in wooded regions and are most common from April to September.Falling ill after a lone star tick bite can take several days or even a few weeks. A bite can trigger various problems, including a serious meat allergy known as alpha-gal syndrome.Lone Star Tick: What Is Alpha Gal Syndrome?Bites from lone star ticks can lead to another major effect. The bite can cause the body to develop an allergy to meat. Substances from the tick, including alpha-gal, enter the bloodstream when it bites, which alerts the immune system and prompts the body to create antibodies to the alpha-gal molecule. Humans do not naturally produce this sugar, so the body treats it as foreign.This reaction can make a person allergic to the sugar. Alpha-gal is present in many common foods, including beef, pork, lamb, dairy products, and gelatin. Once the allergy develops, a person can fall sick after eating these foods.Experts believe that many people with alpha-gal syndrome have no idea they carry it. In the New Jersey case, it took scientists months to confirm that the man had the syndrome and had died as a result of it. Warmer winters have also allowed ticks to remain active for longer periods, raising the chances of bites throughout the year.Anyone who thinks they may have this allergy can undergo testing to check. Although there is no cure for alpha-gal syndrome, doctors advise people with the condition to avoid all forms of meat, as well as dairy, gelatin, and some medicines that include these ingredients.Lone Star Tick: How To Know if You Have the Alpha-Gal AllergyMany people never realise they were bitten, unless a rash becomes visible. The symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome vary widely and may take weeks to appear, which makes it difficult to diagnose.Signs of an alpha-gal allergy can include gastrointestinal discomfort after eating foods such as:Dairy products, which trouble about 10 to 20 percent of individuals with the allergyRed meats like beef, pork, lamb, or venisonFoods and items that contain gelatinOther signs may involve hives or, in severe situations, anaphylaxis. The allergy can take four to six weeks to form after the tick bite. Reactions may also be delayed for several hours after a person eats the food that triggers it.A healthcare professional can test for the alpha-gal IgE antibody through a blood sample. Food challenge tests may also be carried out under medical supervision, in case a severe reaction occurs.
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