Researchers are saying there’s a tick out there whose bite makes people allergic to meat. The specific bringer of evil is the lone star tick.
Sometimes nature is cruel. Just as barbecue season hits full swing, researchers are saying there’s a tick out there whose bite makes people allergic to meat.
The specific bringer of evil is the lone star tick, and it populates most of the eastern half of the US.
Reactions are varied and include hives, cramping, vomiting, and anaphylaxis.
It’s been tough for doctors to isolate the cause of the illnesses plaguing their patients.
Unlike typical food allergies where the effects are instant, tick-induced reactions don’t show up for three to six hours after eating.
The bite itself comes weeks to months before the allergic reactions kick it.
Other countries like Spain, France, and Australia have reported their own versions of the sudden onset tick-induced meat allergies, but the culprits are slightly different local varieties.
The good news is that people who avoid getting bitten again seem to get better in a couple of years.
Ticks of varying kinds are responsible for spreading several illnesses including Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
