A tick bite that will leave you allergic to meat is spreading across North America.
When bitten by the Lone Star tick, named for the Texas-shaped splotch on its back, the body becomes allergic to delicious dead animals.
The allergy is caused by the Lone Star tick releasing a molecule called Alpha Gal, which is short for galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose. An Alpha Gal that won’t let you eat meat? Sounds like my vegan ex-girlfriend.