A study by the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) discovered that forest ticks not only trigger Lyme disease, but also a red meat allergy.
According to the study, the saliva of ticks contains a sugar molecule known as ‘Alpha-gal’ which is transmitted when the tick bites you.
Dr Christiane Hilger of the LIH explains that given humans do not naturally have Alpha-gal, the immune system would recognise it as a foreign body and subsequently develop antibodies.
The reaction is the same as for other food allergies: “Your symptoms will mainly be intestinal problems, which can include…
