News Health & Medicine

Three U.S tick species may cause a mysterious red meat allergy

The lone star tick isn’t the only one that can trigger alpha-gal syndrome, two cases suggest

Close up view of a western blacklegged tick on a green background. The tick is oval shaped and has a reddish-brown body bristling with tiny hairs.

A bite from a western blacklegged tick may, in rare cases, cause a red meat allergy known as alpha-gal syndrome.

CDC

By Meghan Rosen

Cathy Raley’s first bout of hives woke her in the middle of the night with itchy bumps that crept up her arms and spread to her legs and back. Her second bout took her to the hospital.