lone star tick

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Lone star tick spreads northward, causing concern over meat allergy

Lone star tick spreads northward, causing concern over meat allergy

A tick known to cause meat and dairy allergies is spreading north, alarming health officials as summer tick activity rises.

Addy Bink reports for The Hill.

In short:

  • The lone star tick, once rare in the northeast and Great Lakes, is spreading due to warmer winters and an increased deer population.
  • This tick can cause alpha-gal syndrome, a severe allergy to red meat, with over 110,000 suspected cases in the U.S. from 2010 to 2022.
  • Health officials advise preventing tick bites by using repellents and wearing protective clothing outdoors.

Why this matters:

The spread of the lone star tick increases the risk of alpha-gal syndrome, potentially altering diets and lifestyles. As global temperatures rise, regions that were once too cold for the lone star tick are becoming more hospitable. Milder winters and longer warm seasons provide a conducive environment for these ticks to survive and reproduce.

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deer tick

Rising threat: the Lone Star tick's northern expansion

The Lone Star tick's northward expansion brings new health challenges, as it carries diseases like ehrlichiosis, alpha-gal syndrome, and the Bourbon virus.

Rene Ebersole reports for Undark Magazine.

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The tick that causes a meat allergy is on the move

The tick that causes a meat allergy is on the move

The lone star tick can trigger an allergic reaction to red meat in those bitten. Now this arachnid’s territory is expanding.
Warming climate draws new tick threat into Chesapeake region

Warming climate draws new tick threat into Chesapeake region

Experts say, a changing climate is attracting waves of new tick varieties to the region, swamping beleaguered efforts to control tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease.

The meat-allergy tick also carries a mystery killer virus
www.wired.com

The meat-allergy tick also carries a mystery killer virus

A tick best known for making people allergic to red meat can also infect its victims with the deadly Bourbon virus.
Newsletter
Weird meat allergy caused by ticks may be easier to catch than we thought
gizmodo.com

Weird meat allergy caused by ticks may be easier to catch than we thought

New research out this weekend suggests that bites from certain ticks can cause the allergy no matter what they've recently bitten.

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