Surprisingly large number of people may have marker for tick-linked meat allergy
Summary
A new study found that up to 30% of people in some U.S. states have an antibody linked to a red meat allergy caused by tick bites. This is much higher than previous estimates, showing more Americans may carry the marker for this allergy, though not all have symptoms.Key Facts
- The allergy is called alpha-gal syndrome and is triggered by a sugar molecule called alpha-gal found in red meat and tick saliva.
- The lone star tick is the main tick type that causes people to develop the antibody.
- Symptoms can appear 2 to 6 hours after eating and include rashes, stomach problems, or severe reactions like difficulty breathing.
- The CDC previously estimated only 0.14% of Americans have this allergy, but the new study found many more carry the antibody.
- Researchers tested 3,000 blood samples from 10 states to find how common the antibody is.
- States in the tick’s territory showed the highest antibody rates, with some over 20%.
- Not everyone with the antibody shows allergy symptoms, making the condition hard to diagnose.
- Alpha-gal syndrome was first identified in the early 2000s and is still not fully understood by scientists.
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