Researchers don’t know exactly how the tick spreads the allergy, but they have identified which component of meat causes the allergic reaction. Mammal meat — pork and beef — contains a sugar called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal for short), and in people with the allergy, alpha-gal triggers an immune response that includes a massive release of histamines, much like your body would respond to other allergies. An increasing number of meat lovers in the United States and around the world have had this horrific experience in recent years, and it’s all because of a tiny parasite. It’s unclear whether this means that the tick’s range is spreading or whether the ability to confer this allergy has spread to other tick species. Scientists are racing to trace its spread, to understand if the lone star tick is expanding into new territories, or if other species of ticks are now causing the allergy. The drug worked, but curiously, patients that lived in the southeast were 10 times as likely to report side effects of itching, swelling, and a dangerous drop in blood pressure. He discovered that all the patients who experienced an allergic reaction had pre-existing antibodies to alpha-gal, and cetuximab was full of the stuff, thanks to the genetically modified mice from which it was derived. Since cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which is spread by the Lone Star Tick, also arise in the same southeastern region, researchers are pretty sure that it’s the tick bites that are causing the allergies to meat and cetuximab.
– Ticks are out in force this year, and there's one species in particular you should watch out for if you'd ever like to eat meat again. Experts say the lone star tick appears to be spreading from its home base in the southeastern US. Whereas other ticks can spread ailments such as Lyme disease, the lone star tick is bothersome because it is believed to trigger a potentially life-threatening and apparently lifelong meat allergy with its bite. The tick doesn't technically make people allergic to meat, but rather to a sugar molecule found in red meat known as alpha-gal. This alpha-gal allergy has typically been limited to the southeastern US, where the lone star tick is prevalent, but no more, reports Wired. Cases—in which the consumption of meat can result in hives, difficulty breathing, or death—have been reported in Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and New York, per Inverse. Long Island has seen at least 100 cases in the last year. Researchers suspect the spread of the allergy coincides with the spread of lone star ticks, though it's also possible that other ticks are responsible. Either way, "the nuisance level [for lone star ticks] is much higher than the black-legged tick," an expert tells the Weston Forum. "It is aggressive and very abundant." Researchers are currently studying the effect of a lone star tick bite on mice to determine why it triggers the allergy. (A toddler died after a tick bite.)