Mammalian meat allergy MMA is on the rise in Australia and the surprising cause – a tick bite. Dr Jonica Newby meets Dr Sheryl van Nunen, the clinician who discovered the link. She found that if the tick had fed off another mammal first, the tick’s blood was infected with a sugar called alpha gal. Once bitten by the infected tick some of our immune systems react to alpha gal causing an allergic reaction. This story is a must see if you want the latest tips on how best to remove a tick.
How to remove a Tick:
When removing and killing a tick, Dr Ratchford recommends you apply up to 5 squirts of the freezing agent and wait 5 minutes, then scrape the tick off.
Watch a video how to here
With MMA, and allergies, if you start to suffer from swelling, breathing difficulties or hives, call 000 and start treating as anaphylaxis.
If you would like to learn more about Anaphylaxis or first aid, contact us at www.firstaidae.com.au
