The death of a teenager has been confirmed as Australia's first fatal case of a tick-induced red meat allergy, raising fresh concerns about the little-known condition. Although it was initially believed he died from asthma, Jeremy was posthumously diagnosed with an allergy to red meat. Tick bites can trigger a mammalian meat allergy, which can manifest as stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, hives or swelling, or escalate to anaphylaxis. During the inquest into Jeremy's death, allergy expert Associate Professor Sheryl van Nunen told the court it can take up to five hours for symptoms to develop after eating red meat. Deaths from mammalian meat allergy are extremely rare, with the few recorded deaths caused by medicines containing the meat allergen referred to as alpha-gal.

Source: Daily Mail February 26, 2026 04:46 UTC