Breaking news! CDC issues a “have you heard” , claiming half a million are now allergic to meat because of tick bites

A tickborne illness that causes an allergy to red meat is believed to have affected nearly half a million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Symptoms generally first appear three to eight hours symptoms after ingesting animal meat, a much longer period than the time frame associated with reactions from food allergies.

Symptoms of AGS include:

Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Stomach cramps
Shortness of breath (with anaphylaxis in some cases)
Severe whole-body itching
Hives or rash

Alpha-gal Syndrome can be life-threatening, the CDC says.