Alpha-Gal Syndrome: Meat Allergy Cases Linked To Tick Bites Grow In US, Warning Issued

A new report by the national public health agency of the United States said that the rate of Americans developing a rare meat allergy from tick bites is rising. The data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that this allergy may have already impacted as many as 450,000 people.

"Between 2010 and 2022, there were more than 110,000 suspected cases of alpha-gal syndrome identified. However, because the diagnosis of alpha-gal syndrome requires a positive diagnostic test and a clinical exam, and some individuals with alpha-gal syndrome may not get tested, it is estimated that as many as 450,000 people might have been affected by AGS in the United States," the report said.

The studies published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report show that many healthcare providers in the United States are not familiar with an emerging and potentially life-threatening allergic condition called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), also known as the red-meat allergy or the tick bite meat allergy. Of those aware of AGS, knowledge about diagnosis and management is low.

In one study, 1,500 family/general practitioners, internists, paediatricians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs) across the country were surveyed, and results showed that nearly half of respondents had not heard of AGS, approximately one-third reported that they were 'not too confident' in their ability to diagnose or manage patients with AGS, and five percent felt 'very confident' in their ability.

What is alpha-gal syndrome (AGS)?

According to the CDC, Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic condition. AGS is also called alpha-gal allergy, red meat allergy, or tick-bite meat allergy. AGS is not caused by an infection. AGS symptoms occur after people eat red meat or are exposed to other products containing alpha-gal.

A CDC report showed that between 2010 and 2022, more than 110,000 suspected cases of AGS were identified. However, cases of AGS are not nationally notifiable to the CDC, so it is not known how many cases of AGS exist in the United States. Additional data and research are needed to understand how many people are affected by this condition.