Governor Mike Kehoe signed comprehensive healthcare legislation that mandates Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services to track and report cases of Alpha-Gal Syndrome, a tick-borne illness causing allergies to mammal products. The law also expands Medicaid-covered doula services for pregnant women.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal has published a warning urging doctors to consider anaplasmosis in patients with unexplained fever, as the tick-borne illness spreads into new parts of North America alongside rising Lyme disease cases. Health officials are alerting Canadians exploring outdoors this summer about the growing threat.
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.
Cases of Powassan virus, a rare and potentially fatal tick-borne illness, have reached record levels in the United States, with experts linking the increase to warmer temperatures. Health data shows tick-borne diseases are now being reported year-round across multiple states.
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.
Lone star ticks and Asian longhorned ticks, both non-native species, have established populations in New Haven and Fairfield counties in Connecticut. The lone star tick is known for causing meat allergies and flu-like symptoms in humans.
A Northern California resident was hospitalized this spring after being confirmed as the fourth-ever person diagnosed with an extremely rare tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia lanei bacteria, which produces symptoms similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever. State health officials are warning residents to take precautions against ticks following the diagnosis.
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.
Emergency department visits for tick bites have climbed to their highest rate in nearly 10 years according to CDC data, with states like Missouri experiencing record-breaking tick season activity driven by favorable weather conditions.
Despite a mild and dry winter, Bay Area hikers are reporting widespread tick activity on local trails this spring, prompting parks districts to issue advisories recommending protective measures against tick bites and Lyme disease.
Michael Larkin of Shirley, Long Island, survived New York's first confirmed case of Bourbon virus after being bitten by ticks while landscaping in May 2021. The rare tick-borne illness caused severe symptoms including high fevers, headaches, and rash, requiring a five-day hospitalization.
