An Australian mother, devastated by the loss of her teenage son, suspects that a fatal red meat allergy, potentially triggered by multiple tick bites, led to his untimely death during a camping excursion.
On June 10, 2022, 16-year-old Jeremy Webb embarked on a camping adventure with three companions on the Central Coast. During the outing, he consumed beef sausages prepared over an open fire.
Later that evening, around 11 p.m., Jeremy began experiencing breathing difficulties and collapsed while attempting to seek assistance from an adult in a nearby caravan.
Despite his friends’ efforts to revive him, the vibrant and athletic teenager was sadly pronounced dead approximately ninety minutes later at Gosford Hospital.
A coronial investigation is underway to determine if the beef sausages were indeed a factor in Jeremy’s death, as a posthumous diagnosis revealed he had a potentially life-threatening red meat allergy.
Tick bites are known to induce a mammalian meat allergy, presenting symptoms that range from stomach issues, nausea, and vomiting to hives or swelling, and in severe cases, can result in anaphylaxis.
Dr Myfanwy Webb said her son was repeatedly bitten by ticks from the age of two during camping trips, which she believes led to adverse reactions to red meat.
‘When I first suspected mammalian meat allergy, I did look into it, but there wasn’t much information back then,’ she told the ABC.
Jeremy Webb (pictured) died while on a trip with friends on the NSW Central Coast in 2022
His mother, Myfanwy (pictured), said she believes a contributing factor of Jeremy’s death was a red meat allergy that can be triggered by tick bites
‘I sort of saw it as a food intolerance, not an allergy that can kill you from anaphylaxis.’
Jeremy’s cause of death was initially determined to be from asthma, but he has since been posthumously diagnosed with mammalian meat allergy.
Ms Webb believes that if Jeremy’s cause of death was incorrectly determined, there could be more fatal cases of the condition.
‘I think Jeremy would be so proud of this inquest about his death,’ she said.
‘If it saves one more life, then that’s a win, a huge win.’
Allergy expert Associate Professor Sheryl van Nunen told the inquest it can take up to five hours for symptoms to develop after eating red meat.
‘But when it starts, it evolves rapidly. So people go from zero to 100,’ she said.
She believed Mr Webb had a mammalian meat allergy from childhood, based on his rapid onset asthma, his history of tick bites and a history of allergic symptoms after eating red meat.
Previous tick bites can trigger a mammalian meat allergy, which can manifest as stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, hives or swelling, or escalate to anaphylaxis (stock image)
Jeremy’s cause of death was initially determined to be from asthma, but he has since been posthumously diagnosed with mammalian meat allergy
Experts agreed Mr Webb died from a combination of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis and an acute asthma attack.
The inquest has examined the adequacy of Mr Webb’s medical treatment before his death, the role anaphylaxis played in his death, and whether his death could have been prevented by earlier detection.
NSW Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes is expected to hand down her findings by the end of the year.
Associate Professor van Nunen previously told the inquest there had been a 40 per cent year-on-year increase in mammalian meat allergy diagnoses in Australia since 2020.
The highest rates are in NSW and Queensland, with the Sydney basin – notably the Northern Beaches area – becoming a global hotspot.
Deaths from mammalian meat allergy are extremely rare, with the few recorded deaths caused by medicines containing the meat allergen referred to as alpha-gal.
‘It’s important to note that death from mammalian meat allergy can be caused by meat products in foods or even in medication,’ health strategy manager at Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, Maria Said told the ABC.
‘Jeremy Webb’s death (could be) the first death from mammalian meat allergy after eating meat that I’m aware of in Australia.’
A coronial inquest into Mr Webb’s death is investigating whether it could be attributed to his final meal that included red meat
Earlier this month, researchers from the University of Virginia confirmed what is believed to be the world’s first documented alpha-gal syndrome death.
Doctors reported a 47-year-old New Jersey man died in 2024 after eating beef, with symptoms starting four hours after his meal.
The campaign group Tick Induced Allergies Research and Awareness (TIARA) has detailed guidance on its website on prevention.
People walking or working in areas where ticks occur, like the bush, should wear light-coloured clothing including long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks.
If someone is bitten by a tick, people are advised not to ‘pick’ it out of their skin with tweezers or tick-removal gadgets which might accidentally squeeze the tick.
Doing so could ‘cause tick saliva to enter your body, increasing the risk of tick-induced allergies’, the campaign said.
The best removal method is to spray a freezing medication and then allow it to drop off. If that fails, TIARA advises removal via a GP or at an emergency department.
