Scientists document a death from a meat allergy tied to certain ticks

NEW YORK — Researchers have reported what they believe is the first documented death from a meat allergy that can be triggered by tick bites.

A 47-year-old New Jersey man died last year from alpha-gal syndrome, which in 2011 was first linked to bites from the Lone Star tick .

More than 100,000 people in the U.S. have become allergic to red meat since 2010 because of the syndrome, according to one estimate .

Some outside experts said it appears to be the first documented case of someone suffering a deadly alpha-gal reaction shortly after eating meat.

It’s possible other deaths have happened but were assumed to be from other causes and not thoroughly investigated like this one was, said Joshua Benoit, a tick biologist at the University of Cincinnati.

A Centers for Disease Control an