The lone star tick, which can trigger a life-threatening allergy to mammalian meat like beef, pork and lamb, is spreading far beyond where it originated in the southeastern U.S., scientists say.
The tick’s bite generates an allergy to a sugar molecule in red meat known as alpha-galactose, or “alpha-gal,” and can spark a life-threatening reaction with just a single bite of red meat, Business Insider reported.
“The weird thing about [this reaction] is it can occur within three to 10 or 12 hours, so patients have no idea what prompted their allergic reactions,” Dr. Ronald Saff, an allergist and assistant clinical professor of medicine at Florida State University College of Medicine, told Business Insider.
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Similar deal with some mosquitos
ReplyDeleteI became very sick from ticks that entered my property when I purchased plants from a nice store. I was planting a rock garden with bushes that I purchased south of Salisbury and became deathly ill. Be very careful in all that you do this summer because even if you don't believe ticks are in this location...they are transported in quite by accident.
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