{"id":641992,"date":"2026-05-01T04:52:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T04:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/641992\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T04:52:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T04:52:13","slug":"ticked-off-how-a-bite-can-turn-meat-against-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/641992\/","title":{"rendered":"Ticked off: how a bite can turn meat against you"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n By\u00a0
\n Bianca Frew<\/a>
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\n 1 May 2026
\n 5 min read \n<\/p>\n


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Key points
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\n Mammalian meat allergy is an allergy to a sugar molecule found in most mammals triggered in some by a tick bite.
\n Preliminary findings from CSIRO research indicate that nationally case numbers of mammalian meat allergy have increased by 22 per cent annually since 2020, suggesting this is a growing health concern in parts of Australia.
\n CSIRO researchers are looking at the link between mammalian meat allergy and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. <\/p>\n


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Mammalian meat allergy (MMA) is one of the few known food allergies caused by an environmental trigger \u2014 a tick bite. In simple terms, MMA results in an allergic reaction to red meat, making it difficult or sometimes even impossible for affected individuals to enjoy meat without experiencing adverse symptoms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Preliminary findings from CSIRO research\u00a0indicate\u00a0it\u00a0is on the increase\u00a0in Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mammalian\u00a0meat allergy\u00a0in Australia<\/p>\n

Unlike other tick-related diseases such as Lyme disease or tick typhus,\u00a0MMA\u00a0is\u00a0not caused by bacteria or viruses\u00a0carried by\u00a0ticks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

MMA\u00a0is an allergy to a sugar molecule found in most mammals, including cows,\u00a0pigs\u00a0and sheep. This sugar\u00a0is\u00a0called galactose-\u03b1-1,3-galactose, or\u00a0alpha-Gal for short. It is not\u00a0found in humans or primates.\u00a0So,\u00a0when\u00a0some\u00a0humans\u00a0are bitten by these ticks,\u00a0our immune system\u00a0is reprogrammed\u00a0to\u00a0defend against\u00a0alpha-Gal when we eat meat.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

In Australia, the main culprit is the Eastern\u00a0paralysis tick (Ixodes\u00a0holocyclus), commonly found along the east coast from north Queensland, through New South Wales and down to northern Victoria.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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These ticks are already\u00a0known\u00a0for causing paralysis in pets and\u00a0transmitting dangerous pathogens\u00a0such as\u00a0tick typhus to humans. Unlike traditional food allergies that develop in childhood, MMA typically manifests in adults.\u00a0Symptoms can include:\u00a0
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\n \"Detailed
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\n A close-up view of a tick, the parasite linked to mammalian meat allergy.
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\n \u00a9\u00a0
\npublished under Creative Commons, Greay et al 2016
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Hives or itchy skin\u00a0
\n Swelling of the lips,\u00a0throat\u00a0or face\u00a0
\n Stomach pain, vomiting or diarrhea\u00a0
\n Difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The condition can extend beyond red meat. Some sufferers report reactions to\u00a0gelatin\u00a0which is\u00a0frequently\u00a0found in lollies and common medications. In addition, some lifesaving medicines and drugs also contain alpha-Gal, making this allergy a complex health challenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

MMA reactions often take hours to appear, with symptoms typically\u00a0emerging\u00a0three to six hours after eating \u2014 making it difficult to connect the delayed hives or nausea to the earlier meal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

How\u00a0big\u00a0is the\u00a0problem in Australia?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Australia was one of the first countries where MMA was\u00a0identified, with cases linked to tick bites dating back to the 1980s. Since then, research has revealed the scope of this condition is much larger than previously understood.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CSIRO has\u00a0teamed up\u00a0Australian pathology providers\u00a0to produce the\u00a0first comprehensive national surveillance of MMA in Australia using\u00a0anonymous\u00a0testing data\u00a0from QML Pathology,\u00a0Douglass Hanly Moir\u00a0Pathology,\u00a0Sullivan\u00a0Nicolaides\u00a0Pathology, and Laverty Pathology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Early findings reveal that MMA may be far more common in certain parts of Australia than previously thought. <\/p>\n

Senior Research Scientist and study lead\u00a0Dr Alex Gofton\u00a0said\u00a0the highest rates of MMA are currently seen in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, which is a well recognised hotspot for MMA.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, we also that regional areas like the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast Hinterlands in SE QLD, the Northern Rivers regions of NSW, and the Shoalhaven & South Coast regions of NSW are disproportionally affected by MMA compared to other coastal regions, Dr Gofton said\u201d<\/p>\n

In some tick-prone regions, rates exceed 700 cases per 100,000 people. Nationally, reported cases have been climbing by around 22 per cent annually since 2020, pointing to a growing health concern.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, not everyone with\u00a0the\u00a0allergy\u00a0experiences symptoms,\u00a0which\u00a0means the\u00a0number of people with\u00a0undiagnosed\u00a0MMA\u00a0is unclear.\u00a0
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\n \"Two
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\n Researchers using white cloths to collect ticks during a field survey in bushland.
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“This is significant as recent international<\/a> and Australian studies have uncovered\u00a0a potential link between MMA and heart disease,\u201d Dr Gofton said.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cA large Australian study of\u00a0more than\u00a01,000 people found people having heart attacks were 12 times more likely to have alpha-gal antibodies than healthy people.”<\/p>\n

\u201cInterestingly,\u00a0most of\u00a0the patients\u00a0in this Australian study\u00a0didn’t\u00a0even know they had a meat allergy. They weren’t experiencing allergic reactions, but their immune system was still responding to alpha-Gal.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

To understand this complex link,\u00a0CSIRO researchers are\u00a0working with\u00a0Australian Red Cross\u00a0Lifeblood to screen blood donor samples\u00a0to try to\u00a0determine\u00a0how many Australians may unknowingly have alpha-Gal antibodies and potentially be at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis base-line data will be\u00a0crucial\u00a0to help determine\u00a0whether tick\u00a0bites are a\u00a0cryptic\u00a0driver of cardiovascular disease, and\u00a0whether alpha-Gal antibody screening\u00a0tools\u00a0could\u00a0help\u00a0to better\u00a0identify people at risk\u00a0of cardiovascular disease.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

How to protect yourself\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u00a0goes without saying\u00a0that the best defence against MMA is avoiding tick bites altogether. But for many, it’s not always that simple. <\/p>\n

When you’re heading into tick territory such as bushland, long grass or even suburban gardens, cover up with long sleeves and pants tucked into socks. Light-coloured clothing makes it easier to spot ticks before they attach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Insect repellents\u00a0containing\u00a0DEET or picaridin work well against ticks. Apply them to exposed skin and clothing, paying special attention to areas where ticks love to\u00a0hide\u00a0behind ears, along hairlines and in skin folds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After spending time outdoors, do a thorough tick check. Ticks can be as small as a poppy seed, so look carefully.\u00a0Don’t\u00a0forget to check pets too,\u00a0they’re\u00a0excellent at bringing ticks inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr Gofton said the data also indicates that for most people with MMA, their levels of allergic antibodies decline predictably over time, but only with sustained avoidance of alpha-Gal containing products, and further tick bites.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means that for many people with MMA there is a path to recovery, and under the guidance of their doctor they can eventually start reintroducing red meat into their diet, if they want to, Dr Gofton said\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis highlights the importance of avoiding tick bites. Avoiding tick bites can not only prevent MMA, but also help people recover from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

What to do if you find a\u00a0tick\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you discover a tick attached to your skin,\u00a0FREEZE DON\u2019T SQUEEZE!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sprays which\u00a0contain\u00a0ether, such as Tick Off, can be used to kill ticks in place, allowing them to be safely removed with fine-tipped forceps once dead. Ether is a chemical that rapidly freezes and dehydrates the tick, effectively killing it and reducing the risk of the tick injecting allergens or pathogens during removal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once removed, clean the bite area with antiseptic and wash your hands thoroughly. Never try to remove a tick with household tweezers, as this may squeeze allergen-containing saliva into\u00a0your\u00a0body and may\u00a0increase the risk of a\u00a0reaction. More information on\u00a0safely\u00a0removing ticks can be found here<\/a>.
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\n \"Several
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\n Cluster of ticks on a white fabric surface, collected during field monitoring.
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It’s\u00a0worth noting the date and location of the bite in case you need this information for medical purposes down the track.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Most importantly, keep an eye on the bite site and your overall health in the following weeks. While MMA symptoms typically\u00a0will\u00a0not\u00a0appear until you\u00a0next\u00a0eat\u00a0red meat, other tick-borne illnesses can cause more immediate symptoms like fever,\u00a0rash\u00a0or flu-like feelings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0bottom\u00a0line\u00a0<\/p>\n

MMA\u00a0is\u00a0at the\u00a0intersection of allergy science,\u00a0immunology\u00a0and ecology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u00a0is currently\u00a0no cure, no\u00a0vaccine\u00a0and no\u00a0clear way\u00a0to prevent it other than avoiding ticks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0had an\u00a0unusual\u00a0reaction\u00a0after eating red meat or if you live in a tick-prone part of Australia and start getting itchy or queasy after meals,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0worth getting checked\u00a0by your\u00a0doctor\u00a0for MMA.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a country where we love our barbecues, the idea that a tiny tick could turn meat into a health hazard is more than just inconvenient,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a reason to take tick bite prevention and allergy awareness seriously.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By\u00a0 Bianca Frew 1 May 2026 5 min read …\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":641993,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,44],"class_list":["post-641992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=641992"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641992\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=641992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=641992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=641992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}