Deadly Tick Bite causing meat allergy

I can't help but wonder if this was engineered?

"Tick Bites and Mammalian Meat Allergy

Australian allergic diseases physicians first described an association between tick bites and the development of mammalian meat allergy and these findings have since been confirmed by researchers in the USA and in Europe. A subgroup of these patients will also be allergic to mammalian milks and animal-derived gelatin (present in some food products, as a binding agent in some medications as well as in intravenous blood substitutes known as gelatin colloid (e.g. Haemaccel®, Gelofusine®).

The target allergen associated with these allergic reactions appears to be a sugar molecule known as alpha-galactose, present in the gut of ticks (and probably tick saliva) and all mammalian meats except for humans, great apes and Old World monkeys (e.g. beef, pork, lamb, kangaroo, venison, buffalo) and some more exotic meats eaten in some countries (e.g. guinea pig) in South America and ethnic specialty restaurants in North America and even Australia; and probably even whale meat (e.g. in Japan) as well as gelatin.

Researchers have identified that the following blood allergy tests are positive in the majority of those with serious allergic reactions to mammalian meat, and that testing (which can be ordered by any doctor) may assist in confirming the diagnosis:

Beef, lamb, pork Immunocap®.
Alpha-galactose Immunocap® a sugar molecule present in mammalian meats (but not in humans, great apes or Old World monkeys), as well as the gut of ticks.
Elevation of tryptase (an enzyme that is increased in those with a condition called mastocytosis, which is associated with an increased risk and severity of allergic reactions to a number of allergic and non-allergic triggers including insect stings and tick bites).

By contrast, blood allergy testing to gelatin is usually negative (even in patients who have had clear allergic reactions to gelatin orally or by injection).
In contrast, skin allergy testing to commercially available mammalian meats is much less reliable unless performed with raw, organic mammalian meats for confirmation (and very occasionally, even using raw meats, the diagnosis may not be confirmed). Gelatin skin testing results are highly variable, with often minor reactions on skin prick testing with gelatin, whilst intradermal injection skin testing is more reliable in diagnosing gelatin allergy.

Those with allergic reactions to mammalian meats are best advised to avoid all mammalian meats (beef, lamb/mutton, pork, goat, horse meat, kangaroo, venison and probably other more exotic mammals) and artificial blood (made from beef) as well as all forms of gelatin and to wear a medical bracelet warning of potential allergy to intravenous gelatin colloid (an intravenous preparation used as a blood substitute) as well."

Further advice on dietary avoidance strategies and tick-induced allergies may be found on the TiARA website.

Web links

Tick-induced Allergies Research and Awareness (TiARA): www.tiara.org.au

University of Sydney Department of Medical Entomology: medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/ticks.htm

[link to www.allergy.org.au]

Last Edited by stillhere on 06/15/2016 10:39 AM