Dr. Clif Cleaveland
A lone star tick bite may cause red-meat allergy.Ticks are nasty, numerous and carriers of a variety of complex illnesses worldwide. In the U.S., they may transmit Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (despite its name, much more frequent in the Southeast and Atlantic Coastal states), and a number of less-common but potentially dangerous illnesses.
Recently, red-meat allergy has been linked to bites of the lone star tick, which is common in our area of the country. The biting female of the species is red-brown with a yellow-white spot on the back. The bite may show no symptoms or may cause localized itching. Once attached, the tick may hang on for days.
Red-meat allergy results not from transmission of a microbe but from injection into the skin of a chemical found in the gut or saliva of the tick. This chemical is also found in red meat — beef, pork, lamb and venison. It does not occur in poultry or fish. The injected substance can sensitize the victim to future contact with red-meat. Sensitization may occur within two weeks of the tick bite.
Symptoms may begin with generalized itching that worsens over a span of several hours. This may respond to antihistamines, such as Benadryl, taken by mouth. Subsequent eating of red meat, however, can trigger anaphylaxis, a severe, generalized allergic response. Swelling of lips, tongue and upper airways create a medical emergency. The victim may collapse.
This cascade of symptoms may begin shortly after red meat is eaten and progress rapidly. Immediate injection of epinephrine will buy time by temporarily reversing the most severe symptoms. Prompt transfer to a medical facility is vital. Subsequent treatment may involve intravenous fluids, antihistamines and corticosteroids.