I recently saw a post up on UK Deer Stalking forum of another tick-borne infection with dramatic consequences. Like Lyme Disease, it appears that it has taken some time for this new disease to be recognised and classified.
Whilst this sounds potentially like an April Fool's joke and anecdotally, it's also being referred to as the "Vegan's Revenge", the reality is far more significant as there is currently no reliable treatment available. Signs and symptoms of an alpha-gal allergic reaction are often delayed compared with other food allergies. Most reactions to common food allergens, eg peanuts or shellfish, happen within minutes of exposure. In alpha-gal syndrome, reactions usually appear about three to six hours after exposure. Red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb; organ meats; and products made from mammals, such as gelatins or dairy products, can cause a reaction.
The ticks that cause alpha-gal syndrome are believed to carry alpha-gal molecules from the blood of the animals they commonly bite, such as cows and sheep. In the US, this disease is primarly being transmitted by the Lone Star Tick. Whilst this tick is thankfully not currently present in the UK, Alpha-gal syndrome also has been diagnosed in Europe, Australia and Asia, where other types of ticks such as the common sheep tick (Ixodes Ricinus) can carry alpha-gal molecules. When a carrier tick bites a human, the tick injects alpha-gal into the person's body. For unknown reasons, some people have such a strong immune response to these molecules that they can no longer eat red meat or products made from mammals without a mild to severe allergic reaction. People who are exposed to many tick bites over time may develop more-severe symptoms.
Avoiding tick bites is the key to prevention!
More details:
www.mayoclinic.org
en.wikipedia.org
Whilst this sounds potentially like an April Fool's joke and anecdotally, it's also being referred to as the "Vegan's Revenge", the reality is far more significant as there is currently no reliable treatment available. Signs and symptoms of an alpha-gal allergic reaction are often delayed compared with other food allergies. Most reactions to common food allergens, eg peanuts or shellfish, happen within minutes of exposure. In alpha-gal syndrome, reactions usually appear about three to six hours after exposure. Red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb; organ meats; and products made from mammals, such as gelatins or dairy products, can cause a reaction.
The ticks that cause alpha-gal syndrome are believed to carry alpha-gal molecules from the blood of the animals they commonly bite, such as cows and sheep. In the US, this disease is primarly being transmitted by the Lone Star Tick. Whilst this tick is thankfully not currently present in the UK, Alpha-gal syndrome also has been diagnosed in Europe, Australia and Asia, where other types of ticks such as the common sheep tick (Ixodes Ricinus) can carry alpha-gal molecules. When a carrier tick bites a human, the tick injects alpha-gal into the person's body. For unknown reasons, some people have such a strong immune response to these molecules that they can no longer eat red meat or products made from mammals without a mild to severe allergic reaction. People who are exposed to many tick bites over time may develop more-severe symptoms.
Avoiding tick bites is the key to prevention!
More details:
Alpha-gal syndrome - Symptoms and causes
www.mayoclinic.org
Alpha-gal allergy - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
