A 47-year-old New Jersey man is the first known person to die from an allergy to red meat caused by alpha-gal syndrome, a disease transmitted by various ticks.

A study published Wednesday in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology documented the man's death and the increasing population of lone star ticks in the Northeast. The species is the most common carrier of alpha-gal syndrome, though deer ticks — the carriers of Lyme disease — also can carry it.

MORE : Nurse who beat hard-to-treat cancer says she stayed strong by thinking of herself as a 'survivor'

These developments warrant a "major need" for public education about alpha-gal syndrome, including its cause and symptoms, researchers wrote.

Here's what to know about lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome, including h

See Full Page