A 47-year-old airline pilot from New Jersey has become the first person known to have died from alpha-gal syndrome , a red meat allergy caused by a tick bite. Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine announced their findings on Wednesday (November 12), after months of investigation. The case was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice .

The man's death was initially a mystery, as medical examinations showed no signs of a heart attack or other life-threatening issues. The man began feeling sick four hours after eating a hamburger at a barbecue in September 2024. He was later found unconscious at home and died shortly after.

Two weeks prior, he experienced severe symptoms after consuming a steak during a camping trip, but did not see

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