Meet the Lone Star Tick
Chris Richey of Millersburg, Missouri was rushed to the hospital covered in burning hives after she took a few bites of pot roast one evening. The ER doctors believed it was a common stomach virus, but further research revealed that she had become allergic to red meat… because of a bite from the lone star tick.
Richey is just one of what might be tens of thousands of people who have developed an allergy to ‘alpha-gal’, which is a sugar that is found naturally in mammals. Scientists believe the allergy results from lone star tick bites, so-called because they hail from Texas and have a single white spot on their back. Their bite can activate an antibody that causes the reaction to alpha-gal.
Richey suffers from the allergy in unthinkable ways. Animal byproducts are found in pill casings that contain gelatin so she has to avoid that type of medicine or have it especially made for her. She can’t drink milk because it contains the offending compound and certain pastries that are made with beaver anal scent glands are dangerous as well. There is a blood test that exists to screen for the alpha-gal antibody, so people who have suddenly been afflicted with severe reactions to meat products can get treatment.
If someone is diagnosed, they must avoid meat from mammals and carry the drug epinephrine if they are exposed. Sometimes reactions can be delayed up to three hours, which makes pinpointing the causes of the symptoms problematic. Some people can even experience anaphylaxis, which can force the respiratory system to close or induce vomiting.
The nasty parasites have begun to spread across the United States, going as far north as Wisconsin and some have even been spotted in Maine. Their populations are reportedly on the rise due to the proliferation of the white-tail deer.
