More than 400,000 Americans may be ``allergic to red meat'' by being bitten by ticks
Common examples of allergies include buckwheat, wheat flour, and shellfish, but some people develop allergic symptoms when they eat red meat. Many patients with red meat allergies are said to develop allergies by being bitten by
Emerging Tick Bite-Associated Meat Allergy Potentially Affects Thousands | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0727-emerging-tick-bites.html
Up to 450,000 in US have red meat allergies due to alpha-gal syndrome spread by ticks, CDC says - CBS News
Meat allergy from tick bites is on the rise—and US doctors are in the dark | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/07/tick-bites-can-cause-meat-allergies-up-to-450000-people-in-us-may-be-affected/
Over 500,000 Americans are now allergic to red meat because they were bitten by a tick • Earth.com
https://www.earth.com/news/over-500000-americans-are-now-allergic-to-red-meat-because-they-were-bitten-by-a-tick/
The existence of red meat allergy has been known for a long time, but research has progressed only in the last few decades. British allergy researcher Thomas Platts Mills noticed in 2002 that some cancer patients had an allergic reaction to an anticancer drug called ' cetuximab '. After research, Mr. Mills discovered in 2008 that the cause of cetuximab-derived allergic reactions was the carbohydrate `` galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) ''.
α-gal is generally found in most mammalian proteins, except primates. Some people who eat foods containing alpha-gal, such as pork, beef, rabbit, and lamb, may develop an alpha-gal allergy (red meat allergy).
In addition, previous studies have
Eating foods containing α-gal, such as pork and beef, when antibodies against α-gal are present in the body, cause an allergic reaction to α-gal. The symptoms of α-gal allergy are called “ α-gal syndrome ”, and symptoms include swelling of various parts such as lips, face, and throat, hives and itching, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and headache. appears as Alpha-gal syndrome can also cause anaphylaxis , which can lead to dangerous conditions such as dyspnea, dizziness, fainting, and decreased pulse.
In the United States, suspected cases of α-gal syndrome have increased rapidly in recent years, and according to the CDC, more than 110,000 cases have been confirmed between 2010 and 2022. Also, in order to make a diagnosis of α-gal syndrome, a diagnosis of α-gal allergy and a clinical examination by a doctor are necessary, so it is said that many patients are not tested for α-gal syndrome.
The CDC estimates that as many as 450,000 people in the United States may have alpha-gal syndrome, while 1,500 doctors and health care professionals were asked about alpha-gal syndrome, about 42%. 635 experts responded that they did not know about α-gal syndrome.
Approximately 35%, or approximately 530 physicians and medical personnel, responded that they were not confident in correctly diagnosing and managing patients with α-gal syndrome. Only 42 experts were able to correctly answer basic questions about the cause, diagnosis, and counseling of α-gal syndrome, and the lack of awareness of α-gal syndrome is regarded as a problem.
Alpha-gal syndrome patients in the United States are most commonly identified in the southern and eastern states of the United States,
'If the Lone Star tick habitat continues to expand in the future, the CDC predicts that cases of α-gal syndrome in the United States will continue to increase,' said the CDC. In addition, ``α-gal syndrome is an emerging public health problem that may pose a lifelong health hazard for some patients,'' he said, adding that appropriate insect repellents and It is recommended to use insect repellent and avoid visiting densely wooded areas.
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in Science, Posted by log1r_ut