 lone star tick ((photo by James Gathany, Public Health Image Library, public domain) |
from The Daily Mining Gazette
The meat allergy potentially caused by the bite of the Lone Star tick is on the rise. Here's more information.
Alpha-gal syndrome is not caused by a bacteria or a virus. It is an allergic response of the human immune system to the alpha-gal -- short for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose -- sugar molecule
If this sugar is ingested, it is harmless. In fact, the molecule is present in the meat of most mammals, but not primates or humans.
The problem is that it's present in the saliva of certain ticks, notably the Lone Star tick which has been making its way northward, and has been found in southern Michigan. When one of these ticks pierces human skin, an allergic response is triggered. Symptoms can increase over time.
After a person develops the antibodies, eating red meat (and occasionally dairy products) can cause hives, diarrhea and itchiness. Seafood and poultry do not trigger the response. Depending on the severity of the reaction, this can be life-threatening.
Although the usual "treatment" is to simply avoid red meat, the FDA approved a drug in 2024 that can reduce the symptoms of the reaction. Also, there is a genetically-modified pork on the market that does not contain alpha-gal. Currently, about 450,000 Americans have the syndrome.
See more at Wikipedia
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