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Life-threatening meat allergy caused by tick bites is on the rise. Here’s what you should know
KOLD • • health
Key Points:
- Alpha-gal syndrome is a life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites, causing symptoms like hives, diarrhea, and itchiness after consuming mammalian meat or dairy, but not seafood or poultry.
- The allergy develops when tick bites introduce alpha-gal sugar into the bloodstream, prompting the immune system to produce antibodies that cause allergic reactions hours after eating affected foods.
- Rising diagnoses are linked to increased awareness and the expanding range of the lone star tick in the U.S., with an estimated 450,000 Americans affected.
- Diagnosis involves blood tests for alpha-gal antibodies combined with symptom assessment, as tests alone can yield false positives; treatment traditionally focuses on avoiding mammalian meats and carrying epinephrine.
- The FDA recently approved Xolair, an injectable drug that reduces severe allergic reactions in alpha-gal syndrome patients, and researchers are exploring additional biologic therapies to manage or potentially prevent the condition.
