A New South Wales teenager has been confirmed as the first Australian to die from a tick-related allergy to red meat after a coronial inquest into his sudden death on a camping trip.
Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes found 16 year old Jeremy Webb from the Central Coast, died in June 2022 after an anaphylactic reaction to mammalian meat triggered a fatal asthma attack.
Jeremy became unwell after eating beef sausages while camping at MacMasters Beach and later died in hospital.
Magistrate Forbes said that “Without the anaphylaxis, the asthma would not have caused his death.”
Experts told the inquest Jeremy had been bitten by ticks several times as a child and later developed mammalian meat allergy also known as alpha gal syndrome.
The condition can cause reactions to meats such as beef, pork and lamb and can also involve gelatine and some animal derived fats. Unlike many food allergies, symptoms can be delayed for hours after eating which can make it harder to spot the trigger.
Clinical immunologist Professor Sheryl van Nunen said the case was the first recorded death from the condition in Australia and among only a small number.
The findings have renewed calls for better public awareness about ticks and clearer advice for patients who have had reactions after tick bites.
Maria, health manager at Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, said: “With the right systems in place, Jeremy could have been armed with the information he needed.”
Researchers say mammalian meat allergy appears to be increasing in Australia. It has reported early national surveillance suggesting case numbers have been rising by about 40% a year since 2020 with some tick-prone areas recording very high rates.
