Australian teen first person in world known to have to died of meat allergy after tick bite

"Webb's death was originally attributed to asthma. But a coronial inquest has now found an allergic reaction to meat triggered by a tick bite caused the acute asthma attack. It is the first documented fatal case of mammalian meat allergy in Australia."

"Prof Sheryl van Nunen, a clinical immunologist and allergist at the National Allergy Centre of Excellence, is only aware of one other case in the world: that of a 47-year-old pilot in New Jersey, who died in 2024. Jeremy was the first worldwide."

"Van Nunen first identified the connection between tick bites and developing mammalian meat allergy—an association that has since been confirmed by researchers on all six continents where tick bites occur. After two or more tick bites, one in two people's bodies will make an alpha-gal allergy antibody."

Jeremy Webb, a 16-year-old, died in June 2022 after experiencing anaphylaxis triggered by a mammalian meat allergy caused by a tick bite. Initially attributed to asthma, a coronial inquest determined the true cause was an allergic reaction to beef sausages. This represents the first documented fatal case of mammalian meat allergy in Australia and only the second known case worldwide. Prof Sheryl van Nunen, a clinical immunologist, identified the connection between tick bites and mammalian meat allergy development. After two or more tick bites, approximately one in two people develop alpha-gal allergy antibodies. Alpha-gal, a sugar molecule in tick saliva and mammalian meat, triggers severe allergic reactions when consumed.

Read at www.theguardian.com