What is alpha-gal syndrome? New concern about bizarre red meat allergy

New cases of alpha-gal syndrome — a rare but potentially life-threatening illness that makes people violently allergic to red meat — suggest that more tick species may be to blame than initially thought.Neither of the two new female patients — one a 45-year-old in Maine and the other a 61-year-old in Washington — had been in areas where the lone star tick is commonly found.Scientists consider these human biters the main AGS culprit, but these new cases shift the blame to deer and western black-legged ticks.This new evidence raises concerns about the spread of AGS, particularly in regions like Long Island, where ticks are a growing problem.AGS is a serious allergic reaction triggered by a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, which is found in most mammalian meat.When certain ticks bite humans, they can transfer alpha-gal into the bloodstream, causing their victims to develop a severe response to red meat consumption.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that up to 450,000 people in the US have alpha-gal syndrome.Cases have been increasing since 2010, according to the agency.Most people develop symptoms two to six hours after eating red meat products such as beef, pork and lamb.

Some common symptoms include: Most AGS cases are reported in areas the lone star tick calls home, such as the southern, midwestern and mid-Atlantic US.The CDC has previously singled out Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Suffolk County, New York, as places where the lone star tick is known to reside.Deer ticks, also known as black-legged ticks, are typically found in the eastern and midwestern US, while western black-legged ticks prefer the Pacific Coast.Subscribe to our weekly Post Care newsletter! Please provide a valid email address.

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There is no cure for AGS.Symptoms, which vary from person to person, can be m...