The unusual allergy
Cases of this odd allergy were first detected in 2007 in Virginia. Once bitten by a lonestar tick, the allergy causes people to break out in itchy hives about six hours after eating meat. However, not everyone that is bitten will develop the allergy.
Allergy specialists Thomas Platts-Mills and Scott Commins have documented more than 1,000 cases from Texas to Massachusetts.
“It’s a huge problem out here,” says Erin McGintee, a pediatric and adult allergist in East Hampton, N.Y., who says she knows of more than 70 cases and sees several more each week.
“I’ve been trying to get the word out—but there are still a lot of people who don’t believe it,” she told Fox News.
One man’s experience
Robert Herrmann says he had an awful experience with this allergy. While he doesn’t remember being bitten by a tick, he does remember breaking out in hives after he ate a burger.
“Six hours later, to the minute, I was lying in bed and suddenly had a really bad itch on my head, then my armpit, then my side,” he says. “I told my wife, I know this is crazy, but you have to call an ambulance. My whole body just felt wrong.”
According to research, the allergy tends to fade in a few years. No fatalities have been reported to date.
Avoid tick bites
If you’re looking to avoid dealing with this potential problem, follow the CDC guidelines to help prevent tick bites.
- Know your neighborhood, find out what kind of ticks are in your area
- Always wear bug repellent
- Wear light clothing, with long sleeves
- Always do an inspection for ticks after being outdoors
- If you’re bitten, remove the tick and keep it for analysis
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