Tick-Borne Meat Allergy Spreading Across US, CDC Warns
Alpha-gal syndrome, a reaction to a sugar found in red meat and dairy products caused by the bite of a lone star tick, may be the 10th most common food allergy in the US, affecting up to 450,000 people, according to estimates by the CDC. However, the syndrome is often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed due to lack of awareness among healthcare providers. Symptoms of alpha-gal allergy, which can include hives, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis, typically occur four to six hours after consuming red meat or dairy. Researchers believe that increased awareness and testing, as well as climate change contributing to tick populations, may be factors in the rising number of cases.
- Mysterious meat allergy passed by ticks may affect hundreds of thousands in US, CDC estimates CNN
- Meat allergy caused by ticks are on the rise, CDC says CBS News
- Ticks Are Giving Tons of Americans an Allergy to Red Meat Gizmodo
- Tick bites are causing food allergies WUSA9
- Climate Change May Be Boosting Tick-Borne Illnesses TIME
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