Alpha-gal syndrome: What to know about tick-borne illness
The Independent • • health
Key Points:
- Alpha-gal syndrome is a severe allergy to mammalian meat caused by tick bites, particularly from the lone star tick, which introduces alpha-gal sugar into the bloodstream, triggering an immune response.
- Symptoms include hives, digestive issues, and potentially life-threatening reactions hours after consuming meat or dairy, with diagnosis relying on blood tests and clinical symptoms.
- The syndrome is increasing in prevalence due to greater awareness and the expanding range of the lone star tick in the U.S., with an estimated 450,000 Americans affected.
- Treatment traditionally involves avoiding mammalian meats and carrying epinephrine, but the FDA recently approved Xolair, an injectable drug that helps reduce severe allergic reactions.
- Research continues into additional therapies, including biologic drugs that may interfere with allergic responses, and some genetically modified "GalSafe" pig meat is available as a rare exception for patients.