Tick-Related Meat Allergy Claims Its First Fatality in US
Tenderloin steaks are on display at a Sam's Club in Bentonville, Ark. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
Researchers have confirmed what appears to be the first recorded death linked to a red-meat allergy triggered by a tick bite. The case centers on a 47-year-old airline pilot from New Jersey whose unexpected death last September initially baffled doctors. According to NBC News, it was only after specialized blood tests that physicians realized he had suffered a severe allergic reaction caused by alpha-gal syndrome.
The man, who had been healthy and had no known history of major allergies, became violently ill with gastrointestinal symptoms after eating steak during a family camping trip two weeks before he died. He recovered at the time and did not seek medical help. But on the day of his death, he began feeling sick roughly four hours after eating a hamburger and was later found unconscious at home.
Doctors discovered that his blood contained an extraordinarily high level of allergy indicators. Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, the researcher who first identified alpha-gal syndrome and who reviewed the New Jersey case, said the numbers were alarming. “The level he had is basically only seen in fatal cases of anaphylaxis,” he explained, noting that the man’s level measured 2,000. “The highest level I’ve seen in someone who survived is 100.” The findings appear in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
Alpha-gal syndrome occurs when the immune system reacts to a sugar molecule found in red meat. The condition develops in some people after they are bitten by a tick—most often the lone star tick—which transfers the alpha-gal molecule into the bloodstream. Symptoms can range from nausea and hives to trouble breathing, typically showing up several hours after consuming red meat.
Platts-Mills, who works at the University of Virginia, said the man’s family reported he had been bitten repeatedly by what they thought were chiggers during a camping trip. The bites were later identified as coming from larval lone star ticks, which are tiny—no larger than a grain of sand, CNN reports. The syndrome has been appearing more frequently as the lone star tick spreads into new regions, helped by warmer winters and rising deer populations. Even so, many physicians remain unfamiliar with the condition, making it harder to recognize. Researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands of Americans may have the allergy without realizing it.
Dr. Scott Commins, an allergy and immunology specialist, told NBC that two major factors can intensify reactions: physical exertion and alcohol, both of which increase how quickly allergens are absorbed. On the day he died, the New Jersey man had mowed his lawn and had a beer. Commins urged people—especially those who spend time outdoors—to be alert to the signs. “After a tick bite, we ask people to pay attention to stomach issues, itching, or hives that can show up three to six hours after eating red meat or even high-fat dairy like ice cream or milkshakes,” he said.
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