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44m ago

ER Visits Climb as Tick-Linked Meat Allergy Spreads in U.S.

Hospitals in parts of the Midwest are reporting a summer spike tied to a tick-induced allergy to mammalian foods.

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Andrew Keenan, 58, and his goddaughter Kate Sudarsky, 26, from Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard
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Overview

  • Alpha-gal syndrome causes delayed allergic reactions hours after eating beef, pork, dairy or other mammal-derived products, and can be life-threatening.
  • The CDC estimates up to 450,000 Americans may have the condition, with more than 110,000 suspected cases identified from 2010 to 2022 as tick ranges grow.
  • The lone star tick is the primary U.S. vector, and researchers have also implicated deer ticks and the western blacklegged tick in some regions.
  • Patients report extreme sensitivity, including reactions to cooking fumes and products with animal byproducts like lanolin, and some communities such as Martha’s Vineyard now offer alpha-gal menus.
  • There is no cure; strict avoidance and tick-bite prevention are recommended, and a July study suggests antibody levels can decline when subsequent tick bites are avoided.