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One Tick Bite Left Her Unable to Eat Meat or Dairy Again
A Nova Scotia woman diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome now carries an EpiPen everywhere after a lone star tick bite triggered a lasting allergy to red meat and dairy
Published: July 19, 2026
A woman in Pictou County, Nova Scotia says her life changed after a tick bite in her garden left her with a rare allergic condition called alpha-gal syndrome, which now prevents her from eating red meat or dairy. She initially mistook the bite for an insect bite and only realized what had happened after developing swollen joints, difficulty walking and brain fog, eventually ending up in an ambulance. Doctors say the lone star tick carries a sugar molecule in its saliva that can trigger the human immune system to react when the person later eats meat or dairy from mammals, with reactions ranging from mild hives to severe, life-threatening swelling. Alpha-gal syndrome is not currently on Nova Scotia's list of reportable conditions, meaning doctors are not required to formally track or report cases to public health, even as local physicians say they are increasingly hearing about patients with similar symptoms. The woman now carries an EpiPen at all times and says she has grown wary of spending time outdoors on her own property, as she continues to spot more of the ticks nearby. Health officials are urging Canadians to use insect repellent, wear light-coloured clothing and check themselves and their pets thoroughly after time spent outside.
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