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A 47-year-old airline pilot from New Jersey has become the first person known to have died from alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy caused by a tick bite. Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine announced their findings on Wednesday (November 12), after months of investigation. The case was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
The man's death was initially a mystery, as medical examinations showed no signs of a heart attack or other life-threatening issues. The man began feeling sick four hours after eating a hamburger at a barbecue in September 2024. He was later found unconscious at home and died shortly after.
Two weeks prior, he experienced severe symptoms after consuming a steak during a camping trip, but did not seek medical attention. Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, an allergist at the University of Virginia, discovered the connection to alpha-gal syndrome after speaking with the man's wife and conducting blood tests. The tests revealed an extreme allergic reaction, consistent with fatal anaphylaxis, and antibodies to alpha-gal, a sugar found in mammalian meat.
The allergy is transmitted through bites from the lone star tick, which is prevalent in the Northeast, South, and Midwest. NJ Advance Media reported that the pilot had been bitten by what were thought to be chiggers, but were likely lone star tick larvae. Factors such as exercise and alcohol consumption on the day of his death may have exacerbated the reaction.
This case highlights the growing threat of alpha-gal syndrome as the lone star tick expands its range, possibly due to climate change. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a significant increase in suspected cases since 2010.