NEWS: Tick bites may trigger allergy to red meat
Researchers at the University of Virginia say allergies to red meat are becoming more common, and that a substance found in tick saliva may hold the key to the mystery.
From the Richmond Times Dispatch:
Tick bites may trigger allergy to red meat
By Tammie Smith
Published: July 05, 2011
The ticks were so bad last summer that Dr. Fred Robinson, a retired cardiologist, could hardly go for a walk in his yard in Midlothian without coming in to find a tick somewhere on his body.
They were a nuisance, but he now suspects they also are to blame for an unusual allergic reaction he has developed to beef.
It sounds improbable, but allergy doctors say patients such as Robinson are cropping up more and more, and research is pinning down a plausible explanation for what may be happening.
Much of that research is being done at the University of Virginia, where studies are also trying to help patients whose only remedy so far is to give up beef or other red meats.
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I wrote about Dr. Commins research back in April, and included the research that was done in Australia. It's not the typical allergy because usually one has an anaphylactic reaction to proteins, and that reaction occurs within 5-30 minutes of eating the food. In this case, it's an allergy to carbohydrates in the meat and it's important to note people get really ill 5 hours or more after consuming red meat (and in some cases, dairy might even be an issue for people).
See: http://campother.blogspot.com/2011/04/tick-bite-you-stick-to-eating-fish-and.html
Once you start having reactions to red meat after having a tick bite, will one always have the allergic reactions or will over time the allergy go away? Thanks for your help in this matter.