ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - New research out of the University of Virginia confirms the nation’s first recorded death tied to Alpha-Gal , the tick-born allergy to red meat.

It started with a mystery. A healthy 47-year-old dad in New Jersey suddenly collapsed after a backyard cookout and no one knew why.

But what happened to him could happen to anyone who spends time outdoors. Experts say the growing tick population means more people will be at risk.

Doctors at UVA traced his death back to Alpha-Gal Syndrome, what many call the “meat allergy.” It’s caused by the bite of a Lone Star tick.

The man had eaten a hamburger just 37 minutes before he was found.

Blood samples later showed an extreme reaction. One key researcher told me his level of tryptase, an enzyme released into the bloodstr

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