Meat Allergy Cases Linked To Tick Bites Growing In PA, CDC Says

PENNSYLVANIA — The number of people in Pennsylvania who may be living with a meat allergy triggered by tick bites is likely greater than official numbers suggest, according to a pair of studies released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first study estimated as many as 110,000 Americans developed an allergy to red meat between 2010-2022 because of alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS. But, the CDC says the true number of Americans who have developed the allergy may be closer to 450,000.

That would make it the 10th most common food allergy in the country, Dr. Scott Commins, a University of North Carolina researcher who co-authored both papers, told The Associated Press.

The number of people testing positive for alpha-gal antibodies rose from about 13,000 in 2017 to 19,000 in 2022, according to one of the studies. The highest prevalences of suspected cases were in Southern, Midwestern, and some Mid-Atlantic states, data shows.

During that period in Pennsylvania, more than half of Keystone State counties had people testing positive for the antibodies, according to CDC data.

Scientists discovered in 2011 that the alpha-gal sugar could be spread through tick bites, tying it to the lone star tick, which is common in the eastern and southern United States, including in Pennsylvania.

The increases are due in part to the expanding range of lone star ticks, but also because doctors are testing more for the antibody.

But many aren’t. In a survey of 1,500 health care workers last year, 78 percent said they had little or no knowledge of the syndrome, and only 5 percent said they felt very confident they could diagnose it.

Dr. Ann Carpenter, an epidemiologist and lead author of one of the papers, called alpha-gel syndrome “an important emerging health problem, with potentially severe health impacts that can last a lifetime for some patients.”

“It’s critical for clinicians to be aware of AGS, so they can properly evaluate, diagnose, and manage their patients and also educate them on tick-bite prevention to protect patients from developing this allergic condition,” Carpenter said in a news release announcing the studies.

Health officials said they aren’t aware of any confirmed deaths related to the allergy.

The AGS reaction occurs when an infected person eats beef, pork, venison or other meat from mammals — or ingests milk, gelatin or other mammal products. It’s not caused by a germ but by a sugar, alpha-gal, that is in meat from mammals — and in tick spit. When the sugar enters the body through the skin, it triggers an immune response and can lead to a severe allergic reaction.

People who have been infected usually notice symptoms within two and six hours after eating food or ingesting other products containing alpha-gal, including gelatin-coated medications.

Symptoms include hives or an itchy rash; nausea or vomiting; heartburn or indigestion; diarrhea; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; drop in blood pressure; swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eyelids; dizziness or faintness; or severe stomach pain.

CDC officials urged anyone who thinks they may be infected to see a doctor or allergist and also emphasized the importance of preventing tick bites.

Patch's national desk and the Associated Press contributed reporting.