CDC Reports Higher Risk of Tick-Borne Diseases Among Red Meat Consumers in the U.S. With Rising Diagnosis
Countries worldwide employ scientists and officials to understand and analyze any disease spreading within the population. Recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that a condition with which the U.S. population has been dealing for some time has become much more widespread than previously believed, stated Health. This disease reportedly affects people who consume red meat.
The condition that the CDC conducted its findings on was Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS). For a long time, authorities have been aware that this condition has been on the rise in the US population. Two reports suggested that the number of people afflicted with this condition is much more than past estimates. The findings claim that around 450,000 Americans have suffered from this condition between 2010 and 2022.
AGS occurs when a tick bites and passes alpha-gal into the subject's bloodstream. Alpha-gal is a carbohydrate that is found in all non-primates. The immune system produces an antibody against this carbohydrate known as immunoglobulin E (IgE). Next time the human body encounters alpha-gal, it produces allergy-like symptoms, which have been termed Alpha-gal syndrome. These symptoms include hives, stomach pain, a drop in blood pressure, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis.
Alpha-gal is present in red meat, and therefore, people who eat it are vulnerable to this condition. "When that person eats red meat—like beef, pork, venison, or lamb—or is exposed to other mammal-derived products like gelatin or dairy, [or] some medications, their immune system recognizes the alpha-gal in those products and overreacts," explained Bobbi Pritt, MD, pathologist and clinical microbiologist at the Mayo Clinic and spokesperson for the College of American Pathologists.
The studies also shed light on some new insights associated with the condition. Previously it was believed that AGS occurred due to the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) found primarily in places like the Eastern, Southeastern, and South-Central United States. Recent examinations show that the disease also occurs from blacklegged ticks (also called deer ticks). This increases the number of vulnerable locations in the country. "These findings broaden our understanding of where alpha-gal syndrome may occur and who’s at risk, which could improve diagnosis and increase awareness among healthcare providers in regions previously thought to be low-risk, such as Maine," Britt said.
The deer ticks are found all over the eastern half of the U.S., the Midwest, and the West Coast, stated Live Science. This is a much more widespread area to put into surveillance for the condition in comparison to when only the lone star tick was identified as a cause. Dr. Johanna Salzer, a veterinary medical officer and epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Vector-Borne Diseases and a co-author of both case report claimed that there is still no reason to panic, at least in U.S. as most of the cases in the country have been determined to originate from lone star ticks. Though he did suggest caution against the newfound causes.
The scientists observed the first case of AGS caused by deer ticks in 2017, stated Health. The victim was a 61-year-old woman in Washington. Another case of AGS due to deer ticks was noted in 2022. This time, the victim was a 45-year-old woman in Maine. "These case reports highlight that patients in areas outside the established range of the lone star tick may also be at risk, although the evidence continues to support that in the U.S., most alpha-gal syndrome patients develop the allergy after experiencing a bite from a lone star tick," Salzer added.