Meat allergy brought on by tick spit is getting more common within the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday.
Around 110,000 suspected cases of alpha-gal syndrome have been identified within the U.S., although officials imagine the actual variety of cases is likely to be greater than 450,000.
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) or tick bite meat allergy is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic condition brought on by the consumption of pork or other products containing alpha-gal.
Alpha-gal just isn’t a bacteria or virus but a sugar present in pork, beef, rabbit meat, lamb meat, venison, milk products and gelatin. It’s also present in the tick spit.
The symptoms often begin three to 6 hours after an individual is exposed to the sugar molecule. The bite of a lone star tick is probably the most common reason behind AGS within the U.S. Some people may not show any symptoms after exposure to the sugar molecule, while the allergy may cause mild to serious anaphylactic reactions in others.
Listed here are the symptoms to look at out for:
- Hives or itchy rash
- Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Cough, shortness of breath
- Blood pressure drop
- Swelling of the lips, throat, tongue or eyelids
- Dizziness
- Severe stomach pain
The diagnosis of AGS is completed through an in depth examination of the patient history, physical examination and a blood test that appears for specific antibodies to alpha-gal.
Dr. Scott Commins, a University of North Carolina researcher who co-authored two papers published by the CDC, said AGS may very well be the tenth most typical food allergy within the U.S.
“Alpha-gal syndrome is a crucial emerging public health problem, with potentially severe health impacts that may last a lifetime for some patients. It’s important for clinicians to concentrate on AGS so that they can properly evaluate, diagnose, and manage their patients and in addition educate them on tick-bite prevention to guard patients from developing this allergic condition,” Dr. Ann Carpenter, an epidemiologist and lead writer of one in every of the research paper, said in a news release.
“The burden of alpha-gal syndrome in the US may very well be substantial given the big percentage of cases suspected to be going undiagnosed on account of non-specific and inconsistent symptoms, challenges in search of healthcare, and lack of clinician awareness,” noted Dr. Johanna Salzer, a senior writer on each papers.
Published by Medicaldaily.com