A new study published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reveals that approximately 24% of adults in five states with high rates of alpha-gal syndrome, including Missouri, test positive for antibodies associated with the tick-borne condition.
The lone star tick, which can cause alpha-gal syndrome—a potentially severe allergy to red meat—is expanding its range across the United States, including into Connecticut and Arkansas, prompting health warnings and business adaptations.
Public health authorities are increasing efforts to educate the public about alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially life-threatening meat allergy caused by lone star tick bites that is affecting an estimated 500,000 Americans. The condition, which can develop suddenly in longtime meat eaters, is spreading northward as tick populations expand.
