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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lee Rafuse Haines

What is alpha-gal syndrome? The ‘red meat allergy’ triggered by a tick bite

Hours after savoring that perfectly grilled steak on a beautiful summer evening, your body turns traitor, declaring war on the very meal you just enjoyed. You begin to feel excruciating itchiness, pain or even swelling that can escalate to the point of requiring emergency care.

The culprit isn’t food poisoning – it’s the fallout from a tick bite you may have gotten months earlier and didn’t even notice.

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