Tick Bite Causes Carnivorous Man From New Jersey To Develop Incurable Meat Allergy

A man who loved to eat meat was forced to change his diet after a tick bit him. The tick bite caused him to develop an incurable meat allergy.

Carnivorous Man Develops Meat Allergy

A 62-year-old man from New Jersey was bitten by a tick and developed an untreatable meat allergy that prevents him from eating pulled pork, steak, or burgers.

Craig Smith of Cream Ridge was diagnosed with the alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), where the immune system malfunctions and targets chemicals found in mammal meat, Daily Mail reported.

According to doctors, the disease was brought on by a bite from a tick whose saliva contained these chemicals, possibly picked up from its most recent meal.

Since there is no cure for his condition, Smith, a self-described carnivore, is forced to change his diet, substituting chicken, fish, and vegetables for his preferred meats.

Although the ailment should have improved after a year of his diagnosis, it hasn't done so after more than 12 months. The lone star tick, so named because of the small white spot on its back, may appear innocuous and sting you once, but what happens afterward is a full, possibly lifelong, dislike of meat.

Smith said he noticed something was wrong in the spring of last year. The former worker and union member first said he woke up in the middle of the night and found angry red rashes. Some of which were larger than dinner plates. The spots were sensitive, elevated, extremely irritating, and warm.

He told NJ.com, a local publication, that they were very itchy that he wondered what was happening to him. He visited a doctor and allergist the following day, but neither could tell his condition. Instead, he was given steroids to reduce the rashes. It worked temporarily but returned when the prescription ended. His condition worsened.

At that point, a physician speculated that he might have alpha-gal syndrome. According to medical professionals, lone star tick attacks typically result in this.

How Can One Develop AGS

When ticks feed on the blood of mammals like deer and cows, they can acquire alpha-gal protein from those creatures. When a human victim is also bitten, this might be injected into them after being stored in their saliva.

Alpha-gal may be mistaken for a threat from the tick by the immune system in humans, causing it to produce antibodies against it. Therefore, whenever the body is exposed to alpha-gal from meat, it causes an allergic reaction or immunological response.

The number of instances of alpha-gal syndrome in the US has increased in recent years due to rising temperatures that have expanded tick ranges and lengthened tick activity.

According to experts, only a small number of instances were reported in the US in 2009. However, recent estimates indicate that up to 34,000 individuals were diagnosed with the condition.

New Diet After Developing Meat Allergy

Unfortunately for Smith, the condition has no cure. So, he has to live with it for the rest of his life.

Doctors swiftly changed his diet to eliminate all dairy products, including milk and cheese, and all meats from mammals, including beef, hog, and lamb.

According to Smith, the change caused him to fall into a profound depression and led to frequent fights with his 66-year-old wife, Liz, with whom he has been married for over 40 years.

He admitted he was a carnivore, and the meat allergy put him in such a congested food lane. He became so irritated and developed a hatred for food. He was devastated beyond belief.

Despite some initial setbacks, he eventually overcame it and has since adapted to his new diet.

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