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.
Health
Man’s extreme energy drink habit leads to concerning medical discovery, doctors say
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Eight energy drinks per day may lead to serious health consequences, recent research suggests.
A relatively healthy man in his 50s suffered a stroke from the overconsumption of unnamed energy beverages, according to a scientific paper published in the journal BMJ Case Reports by doctors at Nottingham University Hospitals in the U.K.
The unnamed man was described as “normally fit and well,” but was experiencing left-side weakness, numbness and ataxia, also known as poor coordination or unsteady walking.
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When the man sought medical attention, it was confirmed via MRI that he had suffered an ischemic thalamic stroke, the report stated.
The patient’s blood pressure was high upon admission to the hospital, was lowered during treatment and then rose again after discharge, even though he was taking five medications.
The 50-year-old man (not pictured) admitted to drinking eight energy drinks per day. (iStock)
The man revealed that he consumed eight cans of energy drink per day, each containing 160 mg of caffeine. His caffeine consumption had not been recorded upon admission to the hospital.
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Once the man stopped drinking caffeine, his blood pressure normalized, and he was taken off antihypertensive medications.
High caffeine content can raise blood pressure “substantially,” a doctor confirmed. (iStock)
Based on this case, the authors raised the potential risks associated with energy drinks, especially regarding stroke and cardiovascular disease.
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They also highlighted the importance of “targeted questioning in clinical practice and greater public awareness.”
The authors say this case draws attention to the potential dangers of over-consuming energy drinks. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel reacted to the case study in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“This case report illustrates the high risk associated with a large volume of energy drink consumption, especially because of the high caffeine content, which can raise your blood pressure substantially,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study.
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“In this case, the large amount of caffeine appears to have led directly to very high blood pressure and a thalamic stroke, which is likely a result of that soaring blood pressure.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the case study authors and various energy drink brands for comment.
Health
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Health
Relationship coach blames Oprah for pushing family estrangement ‘for decades’
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Oprah Winfrey is shining a light on family estrangement, which she calls “one of the fastest-growing cultural shifts of our time” — but one expert says the media mogul helped fuel that very culture.
“A Cornell University study now shows that almost one-third of Americans are actively estranged from a family member,” Winfrey said on a recent episode of “The Oprah Podcast,” referring to adult children going “no-contact” with parents, siblings or entire family systems.
Winfrey said the trend is a “silent epidemic” that can be especially relevant during the holidays.
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But family and relationship coach Tania Khazaal, who focuses on fighting “cutoff culture,” took to social media to criticize Winfrey for acting as if the estrangement crisis appeared “out of thin air.”
“Now Oprah is shocked by the aftermath of estrangement, after being one of the biggest voices pushing it for decades,” Canada-based Khazaal said in an Instagram video, which drew more than 27,000 likes and 3,000 comments.
Oprah Winfrey recently discussed what she called a “silent epidemic” of family estrangement on her podcast. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Khazaal claimed that Winfrey’s messaging started in the 1990s and has contributed to a cultural shift where walking away became the first resort, not the last.
According to the relationship coach, millennials, some of whom grew up watching Oprah, are the leading demographic cutting off family members — and even if it wasn’t intentional, “the effect has absolutely been harmful,” Khazaal told Fox News Digital.
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The coach, who has her own history with estrangement, questioned why Winfrey is now treating the issue as a surprising crisis.
“Now she hosts a discussion with estranged parents and estranged kids, speaking on estrangement like it’s some hidden, sudden, heartbreaking epidemic that she had no hand in,” she said in her video.
Nearly one-third of Americans are estranged from a family member, research shows. (iStock)
Khazaal said she believes discussions about estrangement are necessary, but insists that people shouldn’t “rewrite history.”
“Estrangement isn’t entertainment or a trending conversation piece,” she added. “It’s real families, real grief, parents dying without hearing their child’s voice.”
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Winfrey reportedly responded in the comments, writing, “Happy to have a conversation about it — but not on a reel. Will have my producer contact you if you’re interested.” But the comment was later deleted due to the backlash it received, Khazaal told Fox News Digital.
“I would still be open to that discussion,” Khazaal said. “The first thing I’d want her to understand is simple: Setting aside cases of abuse or danger, the family unit is the most sacred structure we have.”
Experts emphasize that estrangement should be a last resort. (iStock)
“When children lose their sense of belonging at home, they search for it in the outside world,” she added. “That’s contributing to the emotional fragility we’re seeing today.”
Her critique ignited a debate online, with some social media users saying Khazaal is voicing a long-overdue concern.
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“The first time I heard, ‘You can love them from a distance’ was from Oprah … in the ’90s,” one woman said.
“My son estranged himself from us for five years,” one mother commented. “The pain, hurt and damage never goes away.”
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Others, however, argued that Winfrey’s podcast episode was empathetic and that estrangement shouldn’t be oversimplified.
Mental health experts say the conversation around estrangement is more complex than any single celebrity influence, and reflects broader cultural shifts.
Experts say today’s focus on boundaries and emotional well-being has reshaped family expectations. (iStock)
In the episode with Winfrey, Joshua Coleman, a California-based psychologist, said, “The old days of ‘honor thy mother and thy father,’ ‘respect thy elders’ and ‘family is forever’ has given way to much more of an emphasis on personal happiness, personal growth, my identity, my political beliefs, my mental health.”
Coleman noted that therapists sometimes become “detachment brokers” by unintentionally green-lighting estrangement.
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Jillian Amodio, a licensed master’s social worker at the Maryland-based Waypoint Wellness Center, told Fox News Digital that while public figures like Winfrey help normalize these conversations, estrangement might just be a more openly discussed topic now.
“Estrangement used to be handled privately and quietly,” she said.
Winfrey’s take on family estrangement is prompting a broader discussion amid the holiday season. (iStock)
But even strained relationships can be fixed with the right support, experts say.
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Susan Foosness, a North Carolina-based clinical director of patient programs at Rula Health, said families can strengthen their relationships by working with a mental health professional to improve communication, learn healthier conflict-resolution skills, and build trust and empathy through quality time together.
“No family is perfect,” Foosness told Fox News Digital.
Khazaal agreed, saying, “Parents need to learn how to listen without slipping into justification, and children need help speaking about their pain without defaulting to blame or avoidance.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Winfrey for comment.
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