A young boy’s sudden death, initially attributed to asthma, is now under investigation for a different cause.
In 2022, 16-year-old Jeremy Webb tragically passed away during a camping trip with friends at MacMasters Beach, Australia. After having sausages for dinner, Jeremy faced severe breathing issues later in the evening.
Seeking immediate assistance, he approached an adult in a nearby caravan, while his friends attempted to revive him after he collapsed. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, Jeremy was declared dead 90 minutes later at Gosford Hospital.
While asthma was initially cited as the cause, a coronial inquest is now exploring alternative explanations for Jeremy’s death.
When Jeremy was just two years old, his mother noted that he was frequently bitten by ticks. Following these incidents, he began experiencing negative reactions to red meat, leading his mother, Myfanwy, to suspect he had contracted the tick-borne illness known as mammalian meat allergy.
“When I first suspected mammalian meat allergy, I did look into it, but there wasn’t much information back then,” she explained to ABC News Australia.
Myfanwy Webb recounted that her son often felt unwell after meals, but the cause remained elusive. He would vomit and experience respiratory issues at night, with his inhaler proving ineffective.
Jeremy has now been posthumously diagnosed with this allergy, which may have played a role in the young boy’s untimely passing.
This condition, sometimes called alpha-gal syndrome, involves an allergy to red meat and other mammal-derived products and can be life-threatening, according to the Mayo Clinic. The allergy can develop after a tick bite.
If this condition is linked to Jeremy’s passing, it could represent the first such case in Australia.
Maria Said, health strategy manager at Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, told ABC: “Jeremy Webb’s death [could be] the first death from mammalian meat allergy after eating meat that I’m aware of in Australia.”
The ongoing coronial inquiry into Jeremy’s death is assessing whether his last meal contributed to his demise. It is examining the effectiveness of his medical care prior to his death, the role of anaphylaxis, and if earlier detection could have prevented the tragedy, as reported by the New York Post.
New South Wales Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes is anticipated to deliver her findings by the end of the year.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010.