New Jersey man dies of tick-caused red meat allergy: NPR

Researchers say they believe they have documented the first known death Alpha-Gal Syndrome – an allergy to red meat caused by tick bites.

The results from researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine were published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. According to the report, a 47-year-old airplane pilot in New Jersey became ill four hours after eating a hamburger at a barbecue in 2024. The man’s son found him unconscious on the floor of a bathroom, surrounded by vomit. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. The autopsy revealed a “sudden, unexplained death.”

Two weeks before his death, the man had become ill several hours after eating a steak, waking up with abdominal discomfort, writhing in pain, and having diarrhea and vomiting. “I thought I was going to die,” he told his son. However, the man and his wife decided not to seek medical attention because they were unsure how to explain what happened.

A blood sample taken after the man’s death showed he had an allergic reaction. His wife said that earlier this summer he had 12 or 13 “chiggers,” or tiny mite larvae, bitten around his ankles that left itchy, small bumps. However, scientists believe these bites actually came from larvae of lone star ticks, which can cause alpha-gal syndrome.

What is Alpha-Gal Syndrome?

Alpha-gal syndrome is a tick-borne disease that causes allergy to red meat.

Alpha-Gal is a sugar molecule found in mammals such as cows, pigs and lambs. It is also found in the saliva of some ticks. Humans do not produce the molecule. So when transmitted by a tick, alpha-gal can cause a hive-like rash or anaphylactic reaction about two to six hours after eating meat.

“It’s like it’s fighting back,” said Saravanan Thangamani, who directs the SUNY Center for Vector-Borne Diseases at Upstate Medical University. “It’s a foreign body. But basically it gives us this anaphylactic shock or allergy.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 110,000 suspected cases were identified between 2010 and 2022. However, the CDC said the number of cases is likely higher, with up to 450,000 people affected, because many people are unaware of the allergy and a diagnostic test is needed.

In one report In the study published in July 2023, the CDC said 42% of health care providers surveyed had never heard of the disease.

The American Gastroenterological Association advises people with unexplained diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain to get tested for alpha-gal syndrome.

According to the CDC, alpha-gal syndrome is primarily associated with lone star ticks in the United States. Most reported cases occur in the southern, eastern and central states, where lone star ticks are common.

Thangamani, who runs the Upstate Tick Testing Laboratory in New York, said the number of lone star tick encounters this year sent to his lab has doubled since 2024. And he’s noticing a trend of lone star ticks migrating north.

“In 2023, we received ticks from seven counties in New York State that were single-tick encounters,” Thangamani said. “This year we have about 15 counties. As the number increases, their geographic reach is also increasing, so that is a concern.”

How can I protect myself?

There is no vaccine to prevent alpha-gal syndrome. After an infection, doctors recommend that patients change their diet and avoid eating meat such as beef, pork, lamb, game or rabbit.

Thangamani said preventing tick bites is key to avoiding tick-borne diseases. This includes wearing repellents like DEET, protective clothing and avoiding tick habitats.

If you have been bitten by a tick, remove it as quickly as possible and store it in a plastic bag. This would allow doctors to identify what type of tick it is and even test it for disease.

“We can’t reduce tick exposure, but if we can remove the tick as soon as we come from an outdoor activity, we essentially eliminate a lot of the problems that occur after a tick bite,” Thangamani said.