A red meat allergy from tick bites is spreading – and the lone star tick isn’t the only alpha-gal carrier to worry about

Studies have linked ticks on 6 continents to alpha-gal syndrome and its unusual symptoms. An entomologist explains what this frustrating illness is.

By: Lee Rafuse Haines, University of Notre Dame, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: November 17, 2025

Words: 1,346

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

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By Lee Rafuse Haines, University of Notre Dame

Hours after savoring that perfectly grilled steak on a beautiful summer evening, your body turns traitor, declaring war on the very meal you just enjoyed. You begin to feel excruciating itchiness, pain or even swelling that can escalate to the point of requiring emergency care.

The culprit isn’t food poisoning – it’s the fallout from a tick bite you may have gotten months earlier and didn’t even notice. …

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