Lone Star tick - CDC
Going for a hike, a walk in the woods, or just into your backyard this week? Be aware of yet another tick that might ruin your wandering.
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction triggered by a tick bite that makes people allergic to red meat and other mammalian products. Unlike most food allergies that manifest immediately, AGS is uniquely dangerous because its symptoms typically show up 3 to 8 hours after eating.
The Lone Star tick (
Amblyomma americanum) is the primary culprit in the United States. Ticks carry a sugar molecule called alpha-gal (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) in their saliva. When the tick bites a human, it transfers this sugar into the bloodstream. The immune system flags it as a foreign threat and creates specific IgE antibodies to fight it. Later, when the person consumes mammalian products containing alpha-gal, the body triggers an allergic attack.
Yes, the Lone Star tick exists in New Jersey, and its population is actively expanding across the state. [It was historically confined to the southern regions and coastal plains of New Jersey—such as Monmouth, Ocean, and Cape May counties—but warmer winters and an increasing deer population have pushed their range much further north. They are now regularly detected in northern and central counties, including Hunterdon, Somerset, Bergen, and Passaic.
The presence of this tick in New Jersey is getting serious public health focus. In late 2025, researchers from the University of Virginia documented that a 47-year-old New Jersey man became the first recorded fatality in the United States from alpha-gal syndrome after suffering severe anaphylaxis from eating red meat following a camping trip.
In the central and southern parts of the state, lone star ticks have become so prevalent that they actually outnumber local blacklegged (deer) ticks. Unlike regular ticks that wait passively for a host to pass by, lone star ticks actively pursue hosts by sensing vibrations and carbon dioxide.
They are highly active in New Jersey from March through October, thriving in forests, tall grass, brush piles, and suburban backyards.
The New Jersey Department of Health and municipal health departments actively issue warnings urging residents to take heavy precautions in wooded or high-grass areas. To protect yourself, use EPA-registered repellents, wear long clothing pre-treated with permethrin, and perform thorough tick checks immediately after coming indoors.
Symptoms range from mild discomfort to medical emergencies. They include: [1]
Skin Reactions: Hives, severe itching, swelling, or flushing.
Digestive Issues: Severe stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and heartburn.
Respiratory Issues: Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Anaphylaxis: A severe drop in blood pressure and closed airways requiring emergency medical care.
Those diagnosed with AGS must strictly avoid food derived from mammals: Beef, pork, lamb, venison, rabbit, and goat. Dairy products (milk, cheese, butter), gelatin, lard, and sometimes medications or capsules made with mammalian ingredients.
Safe Alternatives: Poultry (chicken, turkey), fish, and shellfish do not contain alpha-gal and are completely safe to eat.
Doctors diagnose AGS by taking a detailed history of your symptoms and performing a blood test to check for alpha-gal-specific IgE antibodies. There is no cure. Treatment centers entirely on lifestyle management, avoiding trigger foods, and carrying an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) for accidental exposures.
The allergy can sometimes decline or disappear over several years, provided you do not get bitten by any more ticks.
AGS should be managed under the care of an allergist or other healthcare provider.
