How living in the suburbs can increase your risk of developing a meat allergy

There goes the neighborhood!Suburban living has its upsides — bigger homes, less noise and more natural green spaces, to name a few.Developments with grassy lawns and wooded parks draw families because they create a sense of relaxation and offer safe areas for children to explore and play, boosting physical and mental health.But some creepy, clingy intruders pose a threat to these serene settings by transmitting disease and even sparking an unusual allergy to red meat.Certain ticks can trigger alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a possibly life-threatening allergic reaction to beef, pork, lamb or other animal products.Scientists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say they have identified potential environmental drivers of AGS risk by mapping 462 confirmed cases in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.“Since the first documented case in the southeastern US in 2009, diagnoses of AGS have increased rapidly, with reported cases increasing from 24 in 2009 to over 34,000 in 2019,” the researchers wrote last week in the journal PLOS Climate.“AGS is the leading cause of adult-onset allergies in the US, with test positivity rates of 30.5%.”Tick saliva contains alpha-gal, a sugar molecule found in red meat.

A tick bite introduces alpha-gal into the bloodstream, tricking the immune system into thinking red meat is harmful.Symptoms, which typically emerge two to six hours after eating meat, include hives, nausea, wheezing, low blood pressure and fatigue.Severe cases may lead to anaphylaxis, requiring immediate medical attention.The lone star tick is the most common culprit for AGS, though deer ticks also have been implicated.Lone star ticks are primarily found in the southeastern, south-central and mid-Atlantic regions of the US — they are especially abundant on Long Island, particularly Suffolk County.UNC computer models showed that open space development, defined by large swaths of natural areas, and forests with a mix of trees pose the greatest A...