VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach woman said doctors diagnosed her with a meat allergy, caused by a tick bite. The phenomenon is something doctors across the country say they’re seeing in more cases, thanks to a rare condition called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS).

Virginia Beach doctor Donald Liebell told 13News Now that AGS was first seen in Australia in the 1980s. He said he believes a lack of knowledge and available testing for this syndrome is leading to people suffering lifelong problems, and even death. In New Jersey, for instance, a man's death was recently linked to the condition.

Virginia Beach resident Jamie Ridgway was bitten by a tick, but did not have symptoms until she had red meat in the weeks that followed, which sent her to the emergency room.

“I went into anaphylactic

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