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A nearly invisible outdoor hazard can alter what someone can safely eat and trigger a medical emergency hours after dinner.
The condition is alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS, a potentially life-threatening allergy that can develop after a tick bite, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Alpha-gal is a sugar molecule found in most mammals but not in humans. It is also present in the saliva of some ticks.
A bite can introduce the molecule into a person’s bloodstream, causing the immune system to treat it as a threat. The person may react later after eating beef, pork, lamb, venison, or other products made from mammals.
The lone star tick is most often associated with AGS in the US. A small number of cases have followed bites from blacklegged and western blacklegged ticks, the CDC said.
Not everyone bitten develops the condition. However, the CDC estimates that as many as 450,000 people in the US could be affected.
Unlike many food allergies, a reaction may not begin until two to six hours after eating. Symptoms can include hives, itching, swelling, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, wheezing, and shortness of breath, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Severe reactions can cause anaphylaxis, a rapid drop in blood pressure, difficulty breathing, dizziness, or loss of consciousness. Anyone experiencing those symptoms needs emergency medical care.
Avoiding tick bites is the best defense. The CDC recommends taking these steps:
- Wear long sleeves, light-colored long pants tucked into socks, and closed-toe shoes in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas.
- Walk in the center of trails and avoid tall grass, thick brush, and leaf litter.
- Apply an EPA-registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or another approved ingredient. Follow the label instructions.
- Treat boots, clothing, and outdoor gear with a product containing 0.5 percent permethrin. Permethrin should not be applied directly to skin.
- Check your body, children, pets, clothing, and equipment after returning indoors.
- Shower within two hours. Tumble dry clothing on high heat for 10 minutes if the items are dry. Damp clothing may need additional time.
- Remove an attached tick promptly with fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp it close to the skin, pull upward steadily, and clean the bite area.
Diagnosis typically involves a medical history, a physical examination, and a blood test for alpha-gal antibodies.
Daily Voice previously reported that hunters and others who spend long periods in wooded or grassy areas face greater exposure.
People diagnosed with AGS should work with an allergist or another health care provider to identify foods, medicines, and other products that could trigger a reaction. Some patients must avoid dairy, gelatin, or additional mammal-derived ingredients.
Symptoms may lessen over time, but another tick bite can renew or worsen the immune response. A doctor may prescribe emergency epinephrine for patients at risk of anaphylaxis.
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