There is no conspiracy to make American citizens allergic to red meat.

Viral posts claim covert efforts to spread ticks on US farms and trigger allergies to red meat. While bogus claims center around inaccurate shots and baseless accusations, ignoring the scientific data on how a lone star strikes — and the conditions they can cause — is actually spreading. BBC Correspondent Marco Silva has been investigating.

Produced by Jemima Hurd. Graphics by Mesut Ersoz.