Climate change fueling increase of lone star tick sightings in Minnesota
Climate change fueling increase of lone star tick sightings in Minnesota
Human-influenced climate change is making many impacts across the upper Midwest, but one might have you itching to check yourself for ticks.
"The warming temperatures have led to an increase of reports of the lone star tick in Minnesota. It's a species that is traditionally found in the southern United States, and can give people an allergy to red meat."
I already hated ticks before, and now there's one that can make me allergic to steak and burgers? Kill it with fire!
The news always calls it a red meat allergy, but the alpha-gal carbohydrate is found in almost all mammals, so no pork or dairy either. Although primates (including humans) are still on the menu. Maybe dolphins and whales, too? I forget. Maybe there'll be a market in the near future for hypoallergenic whale cheese?
My wife's cousin's husband got bitten by one of those ticks in Kansas a couple years ago. It's no joke. He gets a reaction from beef, pork, dairy, and gluten. He eats a lot of chicken and fish, and has to be very careful eating out. He carries an epipen when he goes out. The doctors told him it typically goes away after 6-12 months, but he's going on three years now.
Nature getting pretty clever trying to fight back against climate change
I was just talking about ticks last night with my cousin from Michigan. He said when he was a kid he was outside 24/7 and never had a tick once, but just this year he's found several on him. It makes sense given that migration patterns for pretty much everything are moving north, but damn. Ticks suck.
Friend of mine got bit by one of these and got alpha-gal syndrome. It's completely wild. Definitely not the worst thing that's ever happened but became unable to eat meat basically overnight.