A concerning government report released on Thursday reveals that over 100,000 people in the United States have developed an allergy to red meat since 2010 due to a peculiar syndrome triggered by tick bites. Health officials suspect that the actual number of affected individuals could be much higher, with a separate report estimating that up to 450,000 Americans may have developed this allergy.
Known as alpha-gal syndrome, this reaction occurs when a person who has been bitten by ticks consumes beef, pork, venison, or other meats from mammals, as well as mammal-derived products like milk and gelatin. The syndrome is not caused by a pathogenic germ but rather a sugar called alpha-gal, found in mammal meat and tick spit. When the sugar enters the body through the skin, it triggers an immune response that can lead to severe allergic reactions.
The connection between alpha-gal syndrome and ticks was first reported in 2011, with the lone star tick being identified as a major vector for the condition, despite its name suggesting a Texan origin. Lone star ticks are more prevalent in the eastern and southern regions of the U.S., with approximately 4% of cases occurring on the eastern end of New York’s Long Island.
One of the studies released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined test results from the main U.S. commercial lab for alpha-gal antibodies between 2017 and 2022. The number of people testing positive rose from about 13,000 in 2017 to 19,000 in 2022.
Experts suggest several factors contributing to the increase in cases, including the expanding range of lone star ticks, greater human-tick contact, and increased awareness and testing by medical professionals. However, the second study conducted last year found that nearly half of 1,500 U.S. primary care doctors and health professionals surveyed had never heard of alpha-gal syndrome, and only 5% felt very confident in diagnosing it. Based on this information, researchers estimated the number of individuals with the allergy to be 450,000.
Symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome include hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eyelids. What sets this allergy apart from others is that its reactions occur hours after consuming the allergen, unlike immediate reactions seen in many food allergies.
While the allergy can sometimes fade away on its own, patients are advised to avoid tick bites to prevent its perpetuation. Treatment usually involves dietary changes, carrying epinephrine, and vigilant avoidance of tick-infested areas.
One patient, Bernadine Heller-Greenman, shared her experience with the syndrome. After getting bitten by ticks on Martha’s Vineyard, she started experiencing itchy hives and was later diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome. Since avoiding tick bites and red meat, she has remained free of allergic reactions.
This alarming trend underscores the importance of raising awareness among medical professionals and the public about alpha-gal syndrome to ensure timely diagnosis and proper management for those affected.