NSW deputy coroner to decide if teen's death was caused by meat allergy from tick bites
Jeremy Webb died after eating beef sausages during a camping trip on the NSW Central Coast. (Supplied: Myfanwy Webb)
Jeremy Webb's mother could not figure out why he would regularly get sick after eating dinner.
She said he would vomit and struggle to breathe in the middle of the night, to the point where his asthma puffer would not work.
From the age of two, Jeremy was repeatedly bitten by ticks while camping in bushland on the NSW Central Coast.
When her son began having adverse reactions to red meat, Myfanwy Webb believed the parasites could be the culprit.
Myfanwy Webb holds a photo of her son, Jeremy. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
"When I first suspected mammalian meat allergy, I did look into it, but there wasn't much information back then," Ms Webb said.
"I sort of saw it as a food intolerance, not an allergy that can kill you from anaphylaxis."
That was until he died aged 16 after eating beef sausages on a camping trip with three friends at MacMasters Beach in June 2022.
Jeremy spent a lot of time outdoors growing up. (Supplied: Myfanwy Webb)
The teenager's cause of death was initially determined to be from asthma, but an expert at his coronial inquest has since posthumously diagnosed him with mammalian meat allergy.
If NSW Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes finds his red meat allergy was a contributor, Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia believes his death could be the first of its kind in the country.
"Jeremy Webb's death [could be] the first death from mammalian meat allergy after eating meat that I'm aware of in Australia," health strategy manager at Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, Maria Said told the ABC.
Jeremy's final meal
Last week, the hearing agreed Jeremy had died of a combination of either a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis and an acute asthma attack.
On the night the teenager died, he and his friends cooked sausages over a campfire before eating them for dinner.
By 11pm, he began having trouble breathing and ran to a nearby caravan, frantically searching for help.
Jeremy died in 2022 after camping with friends. (Supplied: Myfanwy Webb)
He collapsed soon after and his teenage friends provided CPR until paramedics arrived.
But just 90 minutes later, he died at Gosford Hospital.
The inquest is now probing whether Jeremy's final meal played a role in his death, his previous medical treatment and if it could have been prevented with more thorough investigation into his health problems.
Magistrate Forbes is expected to hand down her findings by the end of the year.
What is mammalian meat allergy?
The tick-induced condition, also known as alpha-gal syndrome, is a potentially life-threatening allergy to mammalian meats such as beef, pork and lamb, and sometimes in gelatine and fats.
It also includes more exotic meats like kangaroo, dolphin and guinea pig.
Unlike most food allergies, reactions typically manifest between two and 10 hours after consumption, with symptoms ranging from abdominal cramping and vomiting, to severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.
The allergy causes reaction after eating red meats like beef, pork and lamb. (Supplied: MLA)
"When it happens, it evolves rapidly, and people go from being unwell, waking up in the middle of the night, to not making it to the bathroom before they pass out with the anaphylaxis," clinical immunologist and allergist Sheryl van Nunen said.
Professor van Nunen said people had a 50 per cent chance of developing the allergy after being bitten by just two ticks.
Research from the CSIRO revealed Pittwater on Sydney's northern beaches had the highest population of people living with the allergy in the world, recording 744 cases per 100,000 residents in 2025.
Deaths from the allergy are rare, Professor van Nunen says. (Pexels: Erik Karits)
Since 2020, cases of the historically under-diagnosed condition have increased by 40 per cent year-on-year, according to the research body.
Most cases are found along the country's east coast, with the Australian paralysis tick dominating areas from Cooktown in Far North Queensland, right down to Lakes Entrance in Victoria.
Maria Said says Jeremy's death could be the first from a mammalian meat allergy she's aware of in Australia. (ABC News: West Matteeussen)
Deaths from mammalian meat allergy are extremely rare. Almost all the few recorded fatalities have been caused by medicines containing 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," Ms Said said.
Less than two weeks ago, US-based researchers confirmed what is believed to be the first documented alpha-gal syndrome death in the world.
According to allergists from the University of Virginia, a previously healthy 47-year-old died hours after eating a hamburger at a barbecue.
'No tick bite, no problem'
The best advice from experts for preventing the red meat allergy, is to simply not be bitten by ticks in the first place.
"If you don't have a tick bite, you don't get it," Professor van Nunen said.
"This is the only food allergy in the world [that] we know why you've got it.
"Therefore, it's the only one that we can prevent people getting, and if they have it, and then don't have any more tick bites, within three to four years, they can be back to normalcy."
Professor van Nunen says cases of the condition are increasing. (Supplied: NACE)
Tick Induced Allergies Research and Awareness recommends "dressing for the occasion" before going out into the bush by wearing a long-sleeved shirt, tucked into full-length pants with socks pulled on top.
People should also use tropical-strength insect repellent containing DEET or opt for permethrin-treated clothing when gardening or hiking.
Pet owners should also monitor for tick bites on their furry friends to avoid the insects later jumping on them.
If you're in a tick-prevalent area, you should avoid scratching anything you cannot see.
Pets should also be checked for ticks to stop them moving onto humans. (Adobe Stock)
Professor van Nunen said if you have been bitten by a tick, "don't disturb it, because that's when it will squirt the allergen into you".
"If you've got a tick, you freeze it — don't squeeze it."
About a centimetre above the insect, Professor van Nunen recommends spraying 'Tick-off' — a freezing medication and then allowing it to drop off.
If the tick does not fall off, the safest way to have it removed is by your general practitioner or by visiting an emergency department, unless you are confident about extracting yourself with fine tipped forceps.
Jeremy's legacy
Ms Webb says Jeremy would be "proud" of the inquest into his death. (Supplied: Myfanwy Webb)
For Ms Webb, keeping her son's spirit alive by bringing awareness to mammalian meat allergy is her main focus.
She believes if Jeremy's cause of death was incorrectly determined, there may be more fatal cases of the condition.
Ms Webb hopes the state coroner's findings will help encourage the government to adopt a public health campaign, aimed at educating both medical professionals and the wider community.
"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."