CDC Warns of Emerging Tick Bite-Associated Meat Allergy

 

In one study, 1,500 family/general practitioners, internists, pediatricians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs) across the country were surveyed, and results showed that nearly half of respondents had not heard of AGS, approximately one-third reported that they were ‘not too confident’ in their ability to diagnose or manage patients with AGS, and five percent felt ‘very confident’ in their ability. In another study, CDC researchers examined laboratory test results from 2017 to 2022 from a laboratory that, until August 2021, was the primary commercial lab offering testing in the United States. More than 300,000 specimens were submitted by healthcare providers on behalf of patients with presumed clinical suspicion of AGS, and more than 30 percent were positive.

 

“Alpha-gal syndrome is an important emerging public health problem, with potentially severe health impacts that can last a lifetime for some patients,” said Dr. Ann Carpenter, epidemiologist and lead author of one of the papers released today. “It’s critical for clinicians to be aware of AGS so they can properly evaluate, diagnose, and manage their patients and also educate them on tick-bite prevention to protect patients from developing this allergic condition.”

 

Alpha-gal is a sugar found in meat from mammals (pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, venison, etc.) and products made from mammals (e.g., gelatin, cow’s milk, milk products, some pharmaceuticals). AGS is a serious allergic condition some people experience after they consume food or products containing alpha-gal. Growing evidence suggests that AGS is primarily associated with the bite of a lone star tick in the United States, but other kinds of ticks have not been ruled out. Localities in the southern, midwestern, and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States identified more people who tested positive.

 

“The burden of alpha-gal syndrome in the United States could be substantial given the large percentage of cases suspected to be going undiagnosed due to non-specific and inconsistent symptoms, challenges seeking healthcare, and lack of clinician awareness,” said Dr. Johanna Salzer, senior author on both papers released today. “It’s important that people who think they may suffer from AGS see their healthcare provider or an allergist, provide a detailed history of symptoms, get a physical examination, and a blood test that looks for specific antibodies (proteins made by your immune system) to alpha-gal.”