@TiredPhil - That sounds awful! I can't imagine suddenly being allergic to meat. Did you hear about that story in the news a month or so ago about the ticks that can make people allergic to meat?

Love Red Meat? Watch Out for Ticks. - WSJ.com

They live all over the eastern half of the US, and it says the cases tend to run in families but can clear up in a few years. I'm not sure about their spread outside of the US though.