Thousands On LI Have Meat Allergy Linked To Tick Bites, CDC Suspects

LONG ISLAND, NY — Suffolk County on Long Island accounts for a whopping 4 percent of all suspected cases nationwide of a meat allergy triggered by tick bites. That's according to a pair of new studies released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first study estimated as many as 110,000 Americans developed an allergy to red meat between 2010-2022 because of alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS. But, the CDC says the true number of Americans 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 University of North Carolina researcher who co-authored both papers, told The Associated Press.

The number of people testing positive for alpha-gal antibodies rose from about 13,000 in 2017 to 19,000 last year, according to one of the studies. In all, more than 90,000 suspected cases were identified during the study period.

A map of suspected cases estimated there are over 87 suspected cases per 1 million people on Long Island. That would indicate at least 261 suspected cases across Nassau and Suffolk, which has a combined population of approximately 3 million.

But the CDC wrote in its findings that the number is actually far higher, with the highest numbers of suspected AGS cases identified in New York and Virginia. Of particular concern was Suffolk County, which had 3,746 suspected cases.

" ... 4% of all suspected cases nationwide resided in Suffolk County, New York," the CDC said.

Scientists discovered in 2011 that the alpha-gal sugar could be spread through tick bites, tying it to the lone star tick, which is common in the eastern and southern United States, including New York.

The increases are due in part to the expanding range of lone star ticks, but also because doctors are testing more for the antibody.

But many aren’t. In a survey of 1,500 health care workers last year, 78 percent said they had little or no knowledge of the syndrome, and only 5 percent said they felt very confident they could diagnose it.

Dr. Ann Carpenter, an epidemiologist and lead author of one of the papers, called alpha-gel syndrome “an important emerging health problem, with potentially severe health impacts that can last a lifetime for some patients.”

“It’s critical for clinicians to be aware of AGS, so they can properly evaluate, diagnose, and manage their patients and also educate them on tick-bite prevention to protect patients from developing this allergic condition,” Carpenter said in a news release announcing the studies.

Health officials said they aren’t aware of any confirmed deaths related to the allergy.

The AGS reaction occurs when an infected person eats beef, pork, venison or other meat from mammals — or ingests milk, gelatin or other mammal products. It’s not caused by a germ but by a sugar, alpha-gal, that is in meat from mammals — and in tick spit. When the sugar enters the body through the skin, it triggers an immune response and can lead to a severe allergic reaction.

People who have been infected usually notice symptoms within two and six hours after eating food or ingesting other products containing alpha-gal, including gelatin-coated medications.

Symptoms include 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 faintness; or severe stomach pain.

CDC officials urged anyone who thinks they may be infected to see a doctor or allergist and also emphasized the importance of preventing tick bites.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.