Alpha-gal: A new tick-borne allergy | Pet Peeves
In July, I attended the AVMA conference in Denver to get continuing education hours. As always, it was full of good lectures and new information. One of the topics I knew immediately I would be bringing back to all of you readers concerns a sugar called “alpha-gal.”
Many of you are likely aware of the link that was made years ago between tick bites and the development of allergies to beef. This lecture, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and led by Dr. Scott Commins and Dr. Kathryn Rief, went into great depth on the subject. The lecture’s title was “Alpha-Gal and More. How Lone Star Ticks Threaten People and Pets.”
Alpha-gal sounds like a sorority nickname, but it is short for the sugar galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose. Most mammals make this molecule, but humans do not. It also is not found in fish, birds or reptiles. Since humans don’t have alpha-gal in their system, we create an allergic response if we are exposed to it. This exposure comes through a tick known as the lone star tick.
The lone star tick is not called this because it resides in Texas. It gets its name from the distinct white “star” pattern on its back. Wildlife such as deer and turkeys are significant hosts for this tick. Alpha-gal cases were first published in 2009, when there were around two-dozen cases. A blood test has been developed for alpha-gal exposure, and in 2018, there were 34,256 known positives for alpha-gal exposure.
Symptoms in people who have been exposed and developed an allergy to the sugar include itching and flushing of the skin. The allergic reaction can progress to anaphylaxis and the requirement of epinephrine for treatment.
It is ironic that a tick that lives on deer and turkey could trigger an allergy to beef, pork, lamb, venison and rabbit, because I would think hunters in the woods after the deer and turkey would be at greater risk of contracting the allergy. I remember years ago talking to a young man who likes to hunt, and he told me he was very careful to use tick repellant because he liked to eat his steak and it would be a tragedy if he became allergic to it.
The number of tick bites increases the risk of allergy development. Prevention, according to the good doctors at the conference, consists of DEET on the skin and Pyrethroids sprayed on clothing. Also recommended are frequent tick exams while in the woods.
This is not the only disease that ticks carry. Ticks in general are vectors for Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and more. But, again, if you like to eat red meat or dairy products, it would be sad to develop an allergy.
Our pets act as sentinels for many parasites. Because of their lifestyle of running through the brush, they are more likely to come in contact with ticks. A good tick preventative on your pet will go a long way in creating a buffer for you and tick exposure. Three such products would be Nexgard, Bravecto and Credelio. Consult with your veterinarian to find the safest and most effective product for your pet.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Alpha-gal: A new tick-borne allergy | Pet Peeves
