Kansas college professor is hospitalized after bizarre chain reaction left him allergic to BARBECUE food in first case of its kind

A university professor suffered a fatal allergic reaction to barbecued meat in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.

Kansas Brian McCornack, a professor at State University, was rushed to the emergency room after going into anaphylactic shock a few hours after eating a steak from an outdoor grill.

Devastating complications occur when the body releases large amounts of chemicals in response to an allergen, in this case a compound found in red meat.

Blood pressure drops rapidly, the airways narrow, and breathing becomes impossible. Death can occur in as little as 30 minutes.

Prof McCornack was shocked to discover his reaction was due to an allergy, as he had never had any problems with food before.

As an entomologist, he studies insects and wonders what is causing his complications. Strange Source: Ticks.

Professor McCornack first experienced digestive problems in August 2023, about a month before he was hospitalised, but it was during a lecture that he first realised the link between a dust mite he had found on his body a few weeks earlier and his new allergy.

he Said Local Kansas station KSN: “I didn’t know what it was until I took the seminar. [I] I started putting a lot of the pieces together.

His unexplained allergies were the result of a condition called Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS), which is transmitted by dust mites.

Tick ​​saliva can contain a sugar molecule called α-Gal, and when a tick bites, the saliva enters the bloodstream and hyperactivates the immune system in people who eat animal products like red meats like beef, pork, and lamb, or cheese.

This is caused by the Lone Star tick, which is primarily found in the southeastern United States, but is increasingly being found in the northern, eastern and central U.S. as deer carry the tick to new states, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Professor McCornack believes the case may have been caused by discovering two ticks on his body after walking his dog – one tiny bloated Lone Star tick and one adult Lone Star tick.

However, the exact time when AGS developed is unknown.

According to the CDC, more than 110,000 suspected cases of AGS were confirmed in the United States between 2010 and 2022, but the actual number may be higher because the condition is not required to be reported to the CDC and many people may have the condition without knowing it.

There is no cure or treatment for AGS other than avoiding red meat and other animal-derived products.

Prof McCornack said meat, cheese, ice cream and even certain medications should be avoided, but not all people with AGS react to all meats or animal products.

He said: “Meat products are in everything. In fact, even the by-products. Cheese, ice cream, you name it – you can’t eat it without having a terrible reaction.”

“Meat products [are] The pharmaceutical industry has had to work closely with pharmacists to ensure that medicines do not cause anaphylactic shock. In the case of genuine aspirin, synthetic agents are used, and in the case of generic versions, substances of animal origin are used.”

This reaction is caused by the sugar in the product, not the product itself.

Around two hours after eating the steak, Prof McCornack began to develop itchy hives and shortness of breath – if eaten in large quantities, it can block the airways and send the person into shock.

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The professor said: “There’s a two-hour lag after you eat, so when you eat red meat, the meat breaks down and enters your bloodstream, and your immune system reacts. Your immune system sees it as a foreign substance.”

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced multiple detections of Lone Star tick-borne disease last month.

The Lone Star tick is the most abundant tick in the state and is widespread across the eastern two-thirds of the state.

Experts described ticks as “aggressive human biters” and said tick-borne diseases were “extremely active this year.”

Lone star ticks vary in size and can usually be identified by a white dot on their backs.

Professor McCornack warned:[Ticks] Ticks are ubiquitous in our environment, so it’s very important to be aware of them, detect them early, and make sure your pet is tick-free.

“Check everywhere. Once it sticks, you have a chance.”