This tick bite could suddenly give you a life-threatening allergy to meat

Alpha-gal syndrome was first linked to the saliva of ticks 15 years ago, but today people are reporting sudden symptoms after eating meat or sometimes dairy products (Picture: Getty)

Cases of a potentially life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites are on the rise, experts have warned.

Alpha-gal syndrome was first linked to the saliva of ticks 15 years ago, but today people are reporting sudden symptoms after eating meat or sometimes dairy products, having not realised they were bitten.

The disease is an immune response to a sugar type known as alpha-gal, found in meat from most mammals. The allergy doesn’t impact consumption of seafood or poultry. Chicken, turkey and eggs are all OK to eat.

While the allergy can take weeks or months to develop, symptoms can occur within hours of consuming meat or cheese.

Experts believe t...