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Life-threatening meat allergy caused by tick bites is on the rise. Here’s what you should know
WRDW • • health
Key Points:
- Alpha-gal syndrome is a life-threatening allergy to mammal meat triggered by tick bites, causing symptoms like hives, diarrhea, and itchiness after consuming beef, pork, lamb, or sometimes dairy, but not seafood or poultry.
- The allergy arises when ticks inject alpha-gal sugar into the bloodstream, prompting the immune system to produce antibodies that cause allergic reactions hours after eating mammal meat.
- Cases are increasing due to greater awareness and the expanding range of the lone star tick, the primary carrier of alpha-gal in the U.S., with an estimated 450,000 Americans affected.
- Diagnosis relies on blood tests detecting alpha-gal antibodies combined with symptom assessment, as tests alone can yield false positives.
- Treatment includes avoiding mammal meat and carrying epinephrine, with the FDA recently approving Xolair to reduce severe allergic reactions, and research ongoing into additional therapies.
