Tick-Induced Allergy Keeps Fremont Meatpacking Company Worker From Eating Red Meat

Photo courtesy: Omaha World-Herald

Lana Brodersen was just about to crawl into bed in her camper around 11 p.m. June 11 when she broke out in hives from head to toe.

Her husband, Brodie Brodersen, drove her the roughly 10 minutes from their campsite west of Fremont to Methodist Fremont Health. She made it through the first set of double doors to the emergency room but collapsed before she could get through the second pair. 

She later learned that she had gone into anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction that can be deadly if not treated quickly. 

At her children's urging, she made an appointment with Dr. Brian Kelly, an allergist and immunologist with Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic.

A blood test detected antibodies known as immunoglobulin E, or IgE, to the alpha-gal sugar, formally known as galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose. It's found in most mammals, but not in birds, fish, reptiles or humans. The positive test, and Brodersen's history of tick bites, Kelly said, confirmed that she has the syndrome.

Omaha World-Herald: Tick-Induced Allergy Keeps Fremont Meatpacking Company Worker From Eating Red Meat