Alpha-gal syndrome: What to know about tick-borne illness

Summary: Health experts are warning people about a tick bite that can make you allergic to meat. It is called alpha-gal syndrome. When a Lone Star tick—which has a white dot on its back—bites you, it puts a special sugar called alpha-gal right into your blood. Your immune system learns to attack this sugar.

Because of this, if you eat meat from mammals like beef, pork, or lamb, your body fights it. A few hours after eating, you might get itchy hives, stomach pain, or have a hard time breathing. Cases are going up because this tick is spreading to new parts of the country. Luckily, you can still eat chicken, turkey, and seafood. While the allergy can sometimes fade after a few years, doctors can also prescribe a new injectable medicine called Xolair to help stop severe reactions if you accidentally eat meat.

For more details, see The Independent at independent.co.uk/news/health/alpha-gal-syndrome-symptoms-tick-bites-meat-allergy-b2995298.html (opens in new tab)