The Lone Star tick has been implicated in initiating the red meat allergy in the US, and this tick is found predominantly in the Southeast, from Texas to Iowa and into New England. Therefore, an expert evaluation from an allergist familiar with the condition is recommended. Owing to the significant delay between eating red meat and the appearance of an allergic reaction, it can be a challenge to connect the culprit foods to symptoms.

Although reactions to foods typically occur immediately, in the instance of allergic reactions to alpha-gal, symptoms often take several hours to develop. This specific allergy is related to a carbohydrate called alpha-gal and is best diagnosed with a blood test. A severe allergic reaction can include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction that must be treated immediately with epinephrine.Ī bite from the Lone Star tick can cause people to develop an allergy to red meat, including beef and pork. The first time you have this response, your immune system makes specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fight the threat these antibodies attach to immune cells throughout your body.Īfter that, each time you eat meat, the allergen binds to the IgE antibodies and causes the cells to release histamine and other chemicals to try to protect you.ĭepending on the tissue in which these antibodies are released, these chemicals will cause you to have symptoms that can range from mild to severe. If you are allergic to meat, your body considers meat to be a physical threat.

Anaphylaxis, a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reactionĮating meat from mammals, and sometimes poultry.

Swelling, can affect the tongue and/or lips.

Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing.

As your allergist if your child should be tested for an allergy to beef or pork before you remove beef or pork from your milk-allergic child’s diet.įood allergies develop when the body’s immune system becomes sensitized and overreacts to food proteins that typically causes no problem in most people. Studies have found that a very small percentage of children with milk allergy are also allergic to beef. If you are allergic to one type of meat, it is possible you also are allergic to other meats, as well as to poultry such as chicken, turkey and duck. The Lone Star tick has been implicated in initiating the red meat allergy in the US, and this tick is found predominantly in the Southeast, from Texas to Iowa and into New England.Ī meat allergy can develop any time in life. While meat allergy is uncommon, more cases have been reported in the past few years and the numbers continue to rise due to increased recognition of the diagnosis.Ī bite from the Lone Star tick can cause people to develop an allergy to red meat, including beef and pork.

Meat from any kind of mammal - beef, lamb, pork, goat, and even whale and seal - can cause an allergic reaction. ACAAI Roundtable on Atopic Dermatitis and Food Allergy.Why refer your patients to an allergist?.

Alpha gal syndrome