Ticks may have more to fear than their notorious reputation for transmitting Lyme disease, the silent plague caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Many people who have been bitten by ticks within the last six months are increasingly developing meat allergies, or more specifically, the tick-induced mammalian meat allergy. A tick bite can cause your immune system to produce an allergy antibody that releases histamines when it comes into contact with the carbohydrate galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), which is found in all meats that come from mammals.
Although the first reported case of tick-induced mammalian meat allergy was in 2007, the allergy is spreading more quickly within the United States and Australia because of booming tick populations. Researchers suspect that if someone with this meat allergy is not exposed to any more tick bites for an extended time, the allergy might disappear. However, it is advised you only test this theory under the supervision of a trusted health professional if you have a severe allergy.
Warning symptoms
If you develop this allergy, your symptoms would appear several hours after consuming meat from a mammal, such as a cow, pig, lamb, or goat. You could experience hives, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, headaches, a runny nose, and sneezing. Some people even go into anaphylactic shock, which can be deadly.
Chicken and fish are safe to consume with this allergy, but dairy products may trigger your symptoms. Even food additives derived from meat, such as gelatin, can induce an allergic reaction.
Prevention tips
You can take steps to avoid tick bites by doing the following:
- Spray a natural tick repellent on your skin and clothing before going outdoors.
- Avoid dense woods and tall grasses.
- Stay on marked trails and refrain from venturing into brushy areas.
- Wear light-colored clothes so you can spot ticks right away.
- Don long sleeves, pants, gaiters, and hiking boots to minimize the skin area exposed to ticks.
- Fire clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes after spending time in tick-heavy areas.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers if you need to remove ticks.
No matter how vigilant you are, you may still pick up a tick or two if you spend lots of time outdoors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it takes at least 24 hours for a tick to transmit the Lyme disease bacteria, so if you check your body and remove any ticks at the end of every day, you can significantly minimize your risk of infection.
Keep your immune system intact
Not everyone who gets bitten by a tick develops meat allergy or any tick-borne diseases. A healthy immune system can handle foreign invaders that come its way, whether they be tick-borne or otherwise. You can bolster your immune system by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and managing your stress levels.
For more information about tick-borne diseases in the United States, visit the official CDC website.
