Now tick bites spark a deadly meat allergy – and even the SMELL of sizzling bacon can trigger a reaction including itching and breathing difficulties
Now tick bites cause a deadly meat allergy – and even the SMELL of sizzling bacon can trigger a reaction, including itching and difficulty breathing
- The bizarre allergy is quite rare, but anecdotal reports suggest it may be on the rise
- NHS Highland wants to get a better picture of how people are affected by this
Hillwalkers and farm workers have been warned that tick bites can trigger a potentially deadly meat allergy.
Eating a steak, hamburger, or even certain sweets can cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock.
Just walking past a butcher shop, or the smell of sizzling bacon, can cause excruciating itching and difficulty breathing.
Cases of the bizarre allergy are relatively rare, but anecdotal reports suggest numbers may be rising. Now a Scottish NHS board is going to investigate the allergy.
NHS Highland wants to get a better idea of how many people are developing it and how they are affected. Ticks are also responsible for the transmission of Lyme disease, which can cause debilitating neurological symptoms.
Hillwalkers and farm workers have been warned that tick bites can trigger a potentially deadly meat allergy
LAMB NEARLY KILLED ME
Patrick Sinclair was bitten in 2016 and developed symptoms after eating lamb
Retired deer hunter Patrick Sinclair nearly died after developing the rare allergy.
Mr Sinclair – brother of Liberal Democrat colleague Lord Thurso – was bitten in 2016 and developed symptoms after eating lamb.
He said, “I got very itchy and took antihistamines. The next morning I had another nibble of lamb and that really threw me off. I was having trouble breathing.’
Paramedics treated Sinclair, 68, but he was hospitalized weeks later after eating hare and venison.
A specialist told Sinclair to stop eating meat for three years. Three months ago, however, he got another reaction and blames a new tick bite.
Mr. Sinclair, who lives near Loch More, Caithness, now has a life-saving EpiPen on hand.
He said, “After being bitten for a while, my body isn’t as sensitive anymore. But the little nymph ticks get me, often in my own garden.’
Frances Hines, research, development and innovation manager at NHS Highland, said: ‘We are aware that it is likely to be problematic for Scotland, particularly Highland, due to our high tick count. It partly has to do with climate change – the warmer your climate gets, the more likely you are to support tick incidence.
“We don’t have tick season in Highland anymore – they’re all year round. Tick populations around the world are increasing and in motion.’
The meat allergy, Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS), is caused by a specific sugar found in meats such as venison, beef, rabbit, lamb, pork, and bacon.
The tick bite transfers the sugar molecule into the body, which triggers an immune response in some people. Sufferers should also watch out for dairy products and products containing gelatin, such as some candies and medicines.
The syndrome was first reported by researchers in the US state of Virginia in 2009. Severity varies from person to person.
Ms Hines, whose partner has the condition, said: ‘It’s a very nasty disease and it’s largely up to the individual to deal with.
“If you get AGS, it can build up over time. It can be very difficult to manage.”
She has now drawn up plans for the UK’s first trial of the condition.
The number of those affected is difficult to estimate – but of the 55 people in Ms Hines’ ward, two had relatives with the allergy.
She added, “That’s a small sample, but even if it’s one person in 100 or 500, it’s still quite a large number.”