How to spot symptoms of rare 'red meat allergy' you've likely never heard of

When you’re out enjoying the countryside in the sunny weather, it’s a good idea to keep ticks in mind. The blood-sucking little blighters typically hang around in tall grass like Pokémon, but unlike Pokémon you won’t want to make friends with the things.

If you brush past one with bare skin, it’s likely it’ll jump across and bury its head in your skin. From there their bodies usually get more bulbous as they suck blood out of you, often looking kind of like skin tags.

Ticks swell up as they feast on your blood (Ian_Redding/Getty Images)

Removing them can be tricky too, as it’s all too easy to yank them off and leave the head under your skin where it can cause an infection. You need to use tweezers and carefully prise the things out, and you might want to get a doctor to do it if you’re not feeling confident.

If all of that wasn’t enough, they’re also Lyme disease carriers. The tell-tale sign of Lyme disease is a red, bullseye-like ring forming around the bite site, and recovering from the disease can be a very long process.

Lyme disease can trigger symptoms including headaches, fevers, fatigue, muscle and joint pains and, if it’s left untreated, swelling in the joints, problems with your nerves, and heart problems.

Surely that’s everything? Well… no, not quite.

Ticks can also trigger something called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which is essentially an allergy to red meat.

Alpha-gal is short for galactose-a-1,3-galactose, which is a sugar molecule carried by all mammals except humans and primates, and it’s carried by some ticks too. Lone star ticks, most common to North America, are one such species that can carry alpha-gal, and they can transfer it to you if they bite you.

For some people, this kind of alpha-gal exposure can trigger an immune response that then flares up whenever you eat red meat including beef, lamb and pork, all of which contain the alpha-gal molecule.

Food products from these mammals, such as milk, can also carry the molecule and trigger a reaction.

Symptoms from an alpha-gal reaction can be mild, but it can also result in life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

Coming out in hives is a common symptom, but anaphylaxis comes with a sudden blood pressure drop, constriction of the airways resulting in breathing difficulties, dizziness, severe abdominal pains and, in severe cases, loss of consciousness.

Tick repellent sprays are a good idea if you're venturing out into nature (Imgorthand/Getty Images)

If you go into anaphylactic shock, it’s vital that you seek medical attention immediately. People at risk of anaphylaxis, such as nut allergy sufferers, may already be carrying an Epi-Pen which should be administered as soon as possible after a reaction begins.

The risk of developing AGS from ticks is relatively low in the UK, with the Scottish Highlands having the highest prevalence of diagnosed cases. Nevertheless, beware ticks: keep your skin covered, used bug repellents, and avoid tall grass if you can help it.

Topics: Health