TICKS THAT MAKE YOU ALLERGIC TO RED MEAT ARE SPREADING

As if there weren’t enough reasons to avoid ticks, a symptom can develop in which a bite from a certain kind of tick causes an allergic reaction to red meat.

A bite from the lone star tick, across the eastern half of the United States, can cause severe symptoms to develop after eating mammalian meat such as pork, beef and lamb. Symptom include hives, shortness of breath and can lead to an anaphylactic reaction. A bite can even be fatal, according to Ronald Saff, an allergist from Tallahassee, Fla.

Saff said the ticks are spreading, and global warming is contributing. Once confined to southeast and eastern states, they are spreading northward and westward.

“They like nice warm environments,” he said. “As the U.S. gets warmer, we anticipate that the tick will migrate to other states.”

Researchers at Kansas State found the species is spreading from the eastern part of Kansas, where it was once contained, to central and western Kansas. The College of Veterinary Medicine reported its findings in 2016, also citing a warming climate as a contributing factor. The species is found in Missouri, too. “It’s one of the more common ticks,” said Phil Needham, an agent with the Missouri Department of Conservation in Cass County. “It’s not the most prevalent tick, but they are encountered.”

Once inflicted with the condition, an allergic reaction can develop after just a single bite of meat.

The odd thing about the reaction, Saff said, is that it doesn’t develop until several hours after consuming meat. That can leave those who experience symptoms at a loss for what is causing them.

The condition was discovered about a decade ago and is slowly circulating through the medical world.

“This is relatively new,” Saff said. “If you pick up a medical textbook … you won’t find anything on (this allergy).”

Some primary care physicians may not even be aware it exists, Saff said, which may cause statistics of those affected to be underrepresented.

Several people a week come to Saff showing signs of the red meat allergy caused by a tick bite.

“It’s a scary thing. This can kill people,” he said.

None of his patients have died. The relative newness of the condition

TNS left The recently discovered Bourbon virus and Heartland virus are two more reasons to avoid ticks. Infectious disease doctor Dana Hawkinson of the University of Kansas Health System talks about the dangers and how to avoid being infected.