First Death Reported From Meat Allergy Caused by Tick Bite

A 47-year-old New Jersey airline pilot became the first known person to die from alpha-gal syndrome, a delayed red-meat allergy caused by tick bites. His death, initially unexplained, was reexamined by University of Virginia researchers after he collapsed hours after eating a hamburger in September 2024. Two weeks earlier, he had suffered severe gastrointestinal symptoms after eating steak but did not seek medical care. Blood tests arranged months later showed extremely high alpha-gal antibody levels—far beyond those seen in survivors—confirming fatal anaphylaxis triggered by red-meat exposure.

Alpha-gal syndrome occurs when ticks, especially the lone star tick, transmit a sugar molecule from mammals to humans, causing later allergic reactions to beef, pork, or dairy. Exercise and alcohol can worsen reactions, and the pilot had both the day he died. Researchers warn cases are rising as ticks expand northward due to climate change, while many physicians remain unfamiliar with the condition.