Bug Found in Minnesota That Can Make You Allergic to Meat

In Minnesota, most of the time the bugs we deal with in the summer are mostly annoying. They could make you itch, maybe make you sick (hopefully not), but as far as I know, we don't have much for seriously dangerous bugs.

This is a bug, though, that can really turn your life upside down, especially if you're a meat lover. This particular bug, which is found in Minnesota, can give you an allergy to meat if you're bitten.

ALSO READ: How to Keep Your Dog Safe in the Heat of Summer

Alpha-gal Syndrome (AKA, an allergy to red meat)

If you're bitten by this particular bug it can transmit what's called Alpha-gal Syndrome. Yale Medicine writes that Alpha-gal is "a sugar found in the tissues of all mammals except humans and other primates."

If you have Alpha-gal Syndrome this means you specifically can't eat red meats. You'd still be able to eat things like chicken, turkey, and fish, but pork, beef, steak, lamb, etc. is out of the question.

If you end up contracting Alpha-gal Syndrome and you eat red meat, you could have "a range of symptoms, including a rash, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea." Some people might even have "an immediate life-threatening anaphylactic reaction".

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This scary bug that could give you a potentially life-changing allergy is none other than the Lone Star Tick.

Lone Star Ticks Can Give You a Red Meat Allergy

Scientific American writes that Lone Star Ticks are most commonly found in the south-central and southeastern US, but they've been moving around and have been seen in Minnesota.

No one ever wants to have to deal with a tick bite. And I'd guess that most people wouldn't want to be bitten by the Lone Star Tick and possibly contract a red meat allergy. So what can we do?

How to Prevent Ticks from Biting You

Mayo Clinic provided some tips to help prevent tick bites. First, they say to wear light-colored clothing. That way it's easy to see if a tick is on you.

They also say to use tick repellant and to make sure to check yourself and your pets after going inside. You can also wash the clothes you wore in hot water and dry them on the high setting to get rid of ticks that may have stayed on your clothes.

And their final tip is if you find a tick on you, remove it with a tweezer. "Remove the tick by putting a pair of tweezers as close as possible to where the tick is attached to your skin. Pull on the tick with steady pressure." Once the tick is removed wash the area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.

If possible and safe, save the tick in case a medical team needs to identify it in case you start to show symptoms. Otherwise, just take a picture of the tick before getting rid of it.