This was on my local news last night and I had never heard of it before. Apparently some tick bites can cause an allergy to eating meats in some people.
Here is the article –
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlin...158497865.html
Tick Bite Leads to Meat Allergy
UVA Researchers are trying to figure out how a tick bite can lead to the sudden development of a red meat allergy
June 11, 2012
It's a mystery that's spreading throughout Central Virginia and beyond. People are suddenly developing an allergy to red meat after being bitten by a tick!
Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills from the UVA Allergy and Clinical Immunology department said, "It's a completely new form of food allergy in which you eat beef or pork or lamb and three or four hours later you develop hives."
The culprit may be the Lone Star tick, which is commonly found in the south eastern part of the United States. Dr. Platts-Mills said, "I would say we are 98% sure that the lone star tick can do this."
Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly what causes the allergy that was first diagnosed in 2006. The scary part is the allergic reaction is very different than most reactions. After eating beef, pork, or any other mammal the hives, itching, or even more severe reactions occur many hours later.
"People do not get hives until four hours and you have no idea how strange that is for us as Allergists.", said Dr. Platts-Mills.
Dr. Platts-Mills is leading the groundbreaking research at UVA into the allergy. But not only is he researching it, he's also a victim. He had his first reaction to red meat five years ago after several tick bites. He said, "Wow! This is really true! You know when you have something really happen to you yourself, you really get it and since then we have become aware of 1000 cases."
Research is still developing into how long the reactions can last but the doctor says it should be another reminder for anyone outdoors to take precautions against ticks or they could end up with a life-altering illness.
Dr. Platts-Mills stated, "I think in this town there are an awful lot of people who are either gardeners, or hikers, or hunters, or whatever who go outside and get exposed to ticks and I think matters that they know it and if they get unexplained hives they can think about it."
Ways to prevent getting a tick bite include wearing long pants, using an insect repellant with DEET, and checking yourself for ticks after being outdoors
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