An allergic reaction can be life-threatening. Only a few infections were found in Finland, reported Duodecim in 2021.
In the United States, the number of people who contracted a rare meat allergy from a tick bite has increased sharply. Among other things, the news covered the matter British broadcasting company BBC.
The CDC, the authority responsible for disease control and prevention in the United States, will find out on Thursday publishing of new information.
The CDC says in its release that the allergy cases have been linked to the amblyomma americanum mite species, which is found in the eastern and southeastern parts of the United States and the Midwest. However, the CDC adds that other mite species have not been completely ruled out as possible allergens.
Can cause a life-threatening condition
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) associated with tick saliva is a serious and potentially life-threatening allergic condition. AGS is also called alpha-gal allergy, red meat allergy or tick bite meat allergy.
As many as 450,000 people in the United States may have allergies, the CDC estimates.
Published in the medical journal Duodecim in 2021 in the article it is reported that so far only a few cases have been found in adults in Finland, but hundreds of patients have already been found in Sweden.
According to Duodecim, it can be difficult to connect an allergic reaction to eating meat because the symptoms come after a long delay, and often the diagnosis is delayed.
Harmful substance in several different meats
Alpha-gal (galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose) is a sugar found in mammalian meat (pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, venison, etc.) and in mammalian products (e.g. gelatin, cow’s milk, dairy products, some medicines). Humans and other primates do not have alpha gallium in their bodies.
People who suffer from AGS may experience a variety of symptoms, including hives or an itchy rash; nausea or vomiting; heartburn or indigestion; diarrhea; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; drop in blood pressure; swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eyelids; dizziness or fainting; or severe stomach pain. Symptoms usually appear 2 to 6 hours after eating food or being exposed to other products containing alpha gall (e.g. gelatin-coated medicines).
The tick gets alpha-gal by sucking blood from non-human mammals. A person can get a meat allergy if alpha gallium is transferred to the human body through the tick’s saliva.
Another tick species has caused a similar meat allergy in the Sydney area of Australia.