Ticks and allergies linked

The bite of lone star tick can cause an allergy to red meat, according to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

The tick exposes people to a carbohydrate called alpha-gal. This carbohydrate is found in red meat. But, in some people, this exposure causes an abnormal immune response causing them to become allergic to beef or pork.

The same allergic reaction can extend to vaccines. If a tick causes allergy to red meat, then the study found that a person might also be allergic to a shingles vaccine or the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines, which contain alpha-gal.