Health
Man dies hours after eating burger as researchers confirm fatal allergy
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A New Jersey man’s death is the first known to be linked to a tick-borne meat allergy, according to researchers at UVAHealth in Virginia.
The unidentified man, 47, reportedly died last summer, four hours after eating a hamburger and just two weeks after a similar episode triggered by steak.
With the summer episode, the man experienced severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting after eating the steak, a UVAHealth press release said.
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The incident was initially reported as “sudden unexplained death” until Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills of UVA Health determined the man suffered a fatal allergic reaction.
The findings were published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
A New Jersey man’s death is the first known to be linked to a tick-borne meat allergy, according to researchers at UVAHealth in Virginia. (iStock)
The allergy, alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) — also known as “red-meat allergy” or the “tick bite meat allergy” — is caused by the bite of the Lone Star tick, which is found primarily in Southeastern and Eastern states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The tick’s saliva contains a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, which is injected into the body with the bite. This triggers allergies to certain types of red meat (primarily pork, beef, rabbit, lamb or venison) or products made from mammals (including cheese, milk, other dairy products and gelatin).
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When people eat any foods containing the allergens, they can experience serious allergy symptoms within a few hours, although some may only have mild reactions.
Symptoms may include rash, nausea and vomiting after eating beef, pork or lamb, according to researchers. Some may also experience itchy or scaly skin; swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat; and wheezing or shortness of breath, according to Mayo Clinic.
The allergy, alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) — also known as “red-meat allergy” or the “tick bite meat allergy” — is caused by the bite of the Lone Star tick. (iStock)
Although fatal anaphylaxis has been noted as a rare risk in severe cases, the New Jersey man’s death was the first to be attributed to the allergy.
Other factors that may have contributed to his severe reaction, according to Platts-Mills, include a beer he drank with his burger, his exposure to ragweed pollen and recent exercise.
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“The important information for the public is: First, that severe abdominal pain occurring three to five hours after eating beef, pork or lamb should be investigated as a possible episode of anaphylaxis; and, second, that tick bites that itch for more than a week or larvae of ticks often called ‘chiggers’ can induce or increase sensitization to mammalian-derived meat,” Platts-Mills, former chief of UVA Health’s Division of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, said in the release.
“On the other hand, most individuals who have mild to moderate episodes of hives can control symptoms with an appropriate diet.”
The tick’s saliva contains a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, which is injected into the body with the bite. This triggers allergies to certain types of red meat. (iStock)
A diagnosis of AGS requires antibody testing and a clinical exam. Many patients face a long road to diagnosis — an average of seven years, according to Dr. Johanna Salzer, CDC epidemiologist and author of a 2023 report on AGS.
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“And to get diagnosed, they have to have access to an allergist,” Salzer previously told Fox News Digital. “For many people, there are barriers to get that level of treatment.”
When someone is diagnosed with AGS, the person may have it for a lifetime.
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“However, for some people, if they remove the foods from their diet that can reactivate alpha-gal syndrome, over time, their antibody levels may drop,” the expert said.
There is no treatment or cure for AGS, though physicians can help patients manage their symptoms.
When people eat any foods containing the allergens, they can experience serious allergy symptoms within a few hours, although some may only have mild reactions. (iStock)
“There are a number of things [that] healthcare providers can provide to alleviate symptoms depending on the patients’ individual reactions,” Salzer said.
“Those with more severe reactions are administered EpiPens in case they go into anaphylactic shock.”
Prevention tips
To protect against tick bites, Salzer recommends applying EPA-approved insect repellent, those containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone, whenever going into an area where tick bites are a possibility.
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Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks and avoiding grassy, brushy and wooded areas can also help to prevent bites.
“When returning from an area that is known to have ticks, be sure to shower and do a very thorough check,” Salzer advised.
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Platts-Mills urged doctors and patients who live in areas where Lone Star ticks are common to be aware of the risk.
“More specifically, if they have unexpected episodes of severe abdominal pain occurring several hours after eating mammalian meat, they should be investigated for possible sensitization to the oligosaccharide alpha-gal,” he added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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Comedian Amy Schumer, 44, has recently come clean about her struggle with Cushing’s syndrome, leading to a dramatic weight loss.
Schumer’s transformation has sparked conversation online, to which she responded in a now-deleted Instagram post that shut down speculation about cosmetic enhancements.
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” she emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler.
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Schumer doubled down that her weight loss was not about her appearance, but about staying alive.
“Not to look hot, which does feel fun and temporary,” she said. “I did it to survive. I had a disease that makes your face extremely puffy that can kill you, but the internet caught it and that disease has cleared.”
Amy Schumer attends Variety’s 2024 Power of Women: New York event on May 2, 2024, in New York City on the left. On the right, Schumer later poses for a photo posted to Instagram after her weight loss. (Marleen Moise/WireImage; Amy Schumer/Instagram)
“Sorry for whatever feeling it’s giving you that I lost that weight,” she added. “I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro]. Sorry to anyone they let down. I’m pain free. I can [play] tag with my son.”
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The actress also addressed her shifting hormones, saying that she’s “happy to share more if anyone has any questions about how I’m looking or feeling or where I am in my perimenopause process.”
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” Schumer emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler. (Amy Schumer/Instagram)
What is Cushing’s syndrome?
Schumer previously revealed that she had been diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause extreme swelling, fatigue and potentially fatal complications.
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New Jersey, provided more details on the condition in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“Cushing’s syndrome is caused by prolonged, high exposure to cortisol, which is your body’s main stress hormone,” he said. “Usually, the excess cortisol is a result of prolonged steroid use. We see this many times with patients who have some autoimmune disorder.”
Balazs said the “key” to Cushing’s syndrome is not just weight gain, but a “specific redistribution” of fat caused by too much cortisol.
Amy Schumer is photographed during a guest interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Feb. 13, 2024 (left), and later seen walking through midtown New York City on Oct. 28, 2025 (right). (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images; Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images)
Fat may be driven to the abdomen, chest, upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”) or face, sometimes considered “moon face,” the doctor said.
Cortisol also breaks down protein, which leads to a thinning in the arms and legs. “Weight gain can be tough, involuntary and hard to manage,” Balazs added.
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Cortisol stimulates “hunger centers” in the brain, raises blood sugar and promotes fat storage, especially deep belly fat, according to the doctor.
Cushing’s syndrome can also cause high blood pressure, bone loss and sometimes type 2 diabetes, per Mayo Clinic.
In addition to weight gain in certain areas, other symptoms may include pink or purple stretch marks on the stomach, hips, thighs, breasts and underarms, as well as acne, slow wound healing, and thin, frail skin that bruises easily.
With Cushing’s syndrome, fat may accumulate in the abdomen, chest, face or upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”). (iStock)
Women with Cushing’s syndrome often experience thick, dark hair on the face and body, as well as irregular periods. Symptoms among men can include a lower sex drive, reduced fertility and erectile dysfunction.
Mayo Clinic listed other potential symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble with concentration and memory, headache, sleeplessness, skin darkening and stunted growth in children.
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Those with symptoms should contact their doctor immediately, especially if they are taking steroids to treat health issues like asthma, arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, as these medications can exacerbate the condition.
The Mayo Clinic has reported that the “sooner treatment starts, the better the chances for recovery.”
“I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro],” Schumer stated in a social media post. (George Frey/Bloomberg)
For patients like Schumer, weight loss is typically not the main goal, Balazs noted, but it is a “critical sign” of successful treatment.
“The primary goal is to normalize your high cortisol levels,” he said. “I believe Amy Schumer got treated first for her underlying problem. Once the cortisol is normalized, which is the most important step, there’s a role to use adjunct medications to decrease weight.”
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Among GLP-1s, Mounjaro is an “excellent choice to decrease deep belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity of cells,” Balazs added.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s rep requesting comment.
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