1st death linked to alpha-gal syndrome, a meat allergy spread by ticks, reported in N.J., researchers say

"A New Jersey man is the first person believed to have died from a so-called meat allergy triggered by a tick bite, researchers say. According to experts, the bite of a Lone Star tick can lead an individual to develop a sensitivity or allergy to alpha-gal, a sugar found in red meat and dairy products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says AGS can cause hives, nausea, stomach pain, breathing issues and swelling."

"According to researchers, a 47-year-old New Jersey man went on a camping trip with his wife and children in summer 2024, and after spending the day outdoors, they had beef steak for dinner. About four hours later, researchers say the man experienced severe abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and vomiting that lasted about two hours. The man apparently felt better the following morning, but when discussing what had happened with his family, he allegedly said, "I thought I was going to die.""

A 47-year-old New Jersey man developed severe gastrointestinal symptoms about four hours after eating beef following a family camping trip. He recovered briefly but later ate a hamburger at a barbecue and was found unconscious about four hours afterward; he was pronounced dead at a local hospital several hours later. The death was initially ruled a sudden unexplained death. Postmortem blood testing detected an allergic response to alpha-gal consistent with fatal anaphylaxis. A Lone Star tick bite can sensitize individuals to alpha-gal, a sugar in red meat and dairy that can trigger hives, nausea, abdominal pain, respiratory distress and swelling.

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