Overview

• Daisy Holstine, 36, developed hives and swelling over months before an elimination diet and a relapse after reintroducing meat led to an alpha-gal syndrome diagnosis.
• Her path to diagnosis was delayed by costly testing and initial misdiagnoses, prompting trials of multiple medications that failed to resolve constant hives.
• Alpha-gal syndrome can cause delayed allergic reactions to red meat and also to dairy, gelatin, certain medications such as heparin, and some personal-care products, leading Holstine to switch to vegan food and household items.
• Public-health reporting notes a widening footprint for the tick-associated allergy, including a hotspot in Suffolk County, Long Island, and a recent surge on Martha’s Vineyard that spurred restaurants to offer alpha-gal–friendly dishes.
• With no proven cure, some patients try experimental options like Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment; a small study reported high remission rates, though researchers say the approach remains under study.