Results of two studies released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that the number of people in Virginia who may be living with a red meat allergy caused by tick bites is likely higher. than the official figures show.
One of the investigations estimated that some 110,000 Americans developed an allergy to red meat (beef, pork, venison or other mammalian meat) between 2010 and 2022 due to the syndrome called alpha-gal or AGS. But the CDC maintains that the actual number of people who have developed the allergy may be closer to 450,000.
That would make it the 10th most common food allergy in the country, Dr. Scott Commins, a researcher at the University of North Carolina and co-author of both papers, told the AP.
This situation, transferred to Virginia -where the highest number of suspected cases was found, along with the states of Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware-, originates from the spread of alpha-gal sugar through tick bites, especially tick bites. which is classified as a “lone star”, quite common in Virginia.
Dr. Ann Carpenter, an epidemiologist and lead author of one of the papers, called alpha gel syndrome “a major emerging health problem, with potentially serious health impacts that can last a lifetime for some patients.”
“It is critical that clinicians are able to properly assess, diagnose and manage their patients and also educate them on tick bite prevention to protect against developing this allergic condition,” Carpenter said.
Symptoms include hives or itchy rash, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, among others.
2023-08-04 13:00:01
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