First Recorded Fatality from Tick-Driven 'Red Meat Allergy' Reported in New Jersey

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 17 December 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A healthy 47-year-old man from New Jersey suddenly died after delayed allergic reactions to red meat; it was later confirmed to be caused by alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), marking the first documented fatality linked to tick-driven mammalian meat allergy
His symptoms began hours after eating beef following a recent camping trip, during which he sustained 12 to 13 suspected lone star tick bites — exposure to this tick is now known to trigger the immune sensitization that leads to AGS
AGS occurs when the lone star tick introduces the alpha-gal sugar molecule into the bloodstream, causing the body to form antibodies and react severely, sometimes fatally, upon future consumption of mammalian meat or byproducts
Cases of AGS are rising explosively across the United States, with documented diagnoses climbing from 12 in 2009 to more than 110,000 by 2022; estimates suggest over 450,000 Americans may be affected
Experts warn that expanding tick ranges, misdiagnoses, and lack of awareness among healthcare providers are fueling this hidden public health threat, emphasizing the urgent need for preventive tick-bite strategies and proper tick removal techniques

Transcript

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0:00.0	What if the meal you enjoy this afternoon triggers a severe allergic reaction while you sleep tonight?
0:05.0	And the cause is a tiny bite you barely noticed on a weekend hike.
0:09.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:12.0	Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go.
0:18.0	No reading required. Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:22.6	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster and today
0:29.0	you'll hear how a tick-driven allergy to mammalian meat can emerge hours after
0:33.7	eating and in rare cases, turn deadly.
0:43.2	I'm Alara Sky. We're focusing on a 47-year-old New Jersey pilot who appeared healthy,
0:48.7	had no significant medical history, and developed delayed reactions after eating beef.
0:56.4	His story illustrates how Alpha-Gal Syndrome, or AGS, can hide in plain sight and why awareness and prevention matter.
0:58.7	After a family camping trip, he ate a late beef dinner and went to bed.
1:03.2	Hours later, he woke with intense abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
1:08.0	The symptoms eased, and he went back to sleep.
1:10.7	The next morning, he felt well enough
1:12.1	to walk five miles and considered the episode a fluke, even telling a family member it felt
1:17.5	life-threatening in the moment. Two weeks later, he ate a burger at a barbecue around mid-afternoon.
1:23.6	He felt fine for hours, even did yard work. That evening he became suddenly ill, lost consciousness,
1:31.4	and despite prolonged resuscitation attempts, was pronounced dead.
1:36.2	The initial autopsy found no clear cause.
1:39.7	Unsatisfied, his wife sought a second look,
1:42.1	which brought in Dr. Aaron McPhile, an allergist
	...

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