Australia - Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA)

Interesting Video from Australia - Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA) ... 
Also known as Alpha Gal Allergy in the United States

See Video:  http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4570488.htm

The parts I found interesting:

(1)  Allergy sufferers may have had low grade MMA for a while before the severe allergy started.  This low-grade MMA may have previously been chalked up to occasional intestinal distress.

(2)  The allergy may not be just to the Alpha Gal saccharide (that comes from the mammal), but a combination of the Alpha Gal from the mammal bitten by the tick before you and a binding protein from the tick itself.  The combination of both the saccharide and the protein (as a bound agent) may cause the severe onset of auto-immune response in some humans.

(3)  After onset of severe MMA (or Alpha Gal Allergy), a future tick or chigger bite (producing just the tick protein) can cause an immediate and severe allergic reaction - causing anaphylactic shock without the typical delay of reaction from MMA or Alpha Gal Allergy.   Basically, you are now allergic to both the Alpha Gal saccharide (with delayed reaction) AND you are allergic to the tick protein with an immediate reaction.

(4)  The method of removing ticks can be crucial for avoiding immediate and severe tick bite reactions.  Adult Ticks should be frozen off (using a product like wart freezing agents), then removed.  Nymph Ticks should be treated and killed with a permethrin cream (used for lice and scabies), then scraped off.  The key is that ticks should never be squeezed by fingers or tweezers in the removal process.