If life wasn’t complicated enough already, Mother Nature has blessed us with a new illness, alpha-gal syndrome, caused by a bite from the Lone Star tick. During the bite, the tick transfers a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, which it acquires from previously feeding on a mammal. Since sugar is foreign to humans, an antibody is produced against it that becomes activated upon ingestion of meat. The syndrome’s symptoms range from abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hives and even sudden death from anaphylaxis. Symptoms typically occur 4 to 8 hours after eating mammalian products (meat, dairy), which is distinctly different from other food allergies, which appear almost immediately after ingestion. This long time-lag makes diagnosis most difficult.
The diagnosis is suggested by the GI symptoms listed above, history of a tick bite or outdoor activities (a tick may not attach itself after biting and fall off), or unexplained allergies. A blood test for antibodies against the alpha-gal sugar is then performed, but it is considered positive only if the antibody level is high. For intermediate-to-low antibody levels, patients must then follow a one-month avoidance diet of all mammalian meat (beef, goat, pork, venison) and related products (lard, dairy, ice cream). In addition, to avoid cross-contamination risk, restaurants should be avoided during this one-month trial.
If symptoms improve during the avoidance trial, the diagnosis is made. There is no cure, only the strict avoidance diet for control. The website offers tips for managing this lifestyle.
To make matters worse, there is new evidence showing that patients with this type of allergy have increased systemic inflammation, which leads to increased atherosclerosis, resulting in premature heart attacks and strokes. To summarize, life is complicated.
Dr. Charlie Barnett is a contributor to KnoxTNToday, where he writes a weekly column, DocTalk, sharing his expertise on health and wellness management.
Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram. Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.
