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What to know about dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites - WJCL
What to know about dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites - WJCL
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
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Updated: 3:07 PM EDT Jun 21, 2026
Editorial Standards ⓘ
By
Matthew Perrone, AP Health Write
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
Updated: 3:07 PM EDT Jun 21, 2026
Editorial Standards ⓘ
By
Matthew Perrone, AP Health Write
WASHINGTON
—
It's common knowledge that ticks can spread infections that cause serious illnesses, including Lyme disease. Now health officials are trying to raise awareness of a lesser-known problem: a life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites.
Video above: How to protect yourself during tick season
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The problem, known as alpha-gal syndrome, was first linked to a particular species of ticks about 15 years ago. But cases are on the rise as more people report symptoms such as hives, diarrhea and itchiness after eating as little as a mouthful of meat and — in some cases — dairy. The allergy does not impact consumption of seafood or poultry. Chicken, turkey and eggs are all OK to eat.
For years, the standard treatment has i…
What to know about dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
Today we are just collecting ticks from the park. As we drag through it, ticks will get onto this drag cloth and we will use the tweezers to pull them off and put them into little vials, and those vials we are then going to bring back to our lab to identify the species and then send them off for disease testing. The main one is Lyme disease. Most people know about it. It's transmitted by the black legged ticks, which is the main tick that is, uh, we're studying. There's the tick that causes *** red meat allergy that people may have heard of that's the lone star tick. There's also other tick species. Some of these vials are packed with like 200 ticks just in in one. These two are Lone Star adults, and then this one is *** Lone Star nymph. And the ultimate goal of that is to understand how those ticks are distributed, what their risk of giving disease to humans in the city is like, and how we can try to mitigate that. To protect yourself, you wanna w…
Surprisingly large number of people may have marker for tick-linked meat allergy
Surprisingly large number of people may have marker for tick-linked meat allergy
There's still a slew of questions about why some people develop alpha-gal syndrome.
ASSOCIATED PRESS provided aid UNITED STATES in Rocky Mountain, Massachusetts, United States
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
Today we are just collecting ticks from the park. As we drag through it, ticks will get onto this drag cloth and we will use the tweezers to pull them off and put them into little vials, and those vials we are then going to bring back to our lab to identify the species and then send them off for disease testing. The main one is Lyme disease. Most people know about it. It's transmitted by the black legged ticks, which is the main tick that is, uh, we're studying. There's the tick that causes *** red meat allergy that people may have heard of that's the lone star tick. There's also other tick species. Some of these vials are packed with like 200 ticks just in in one. These two are Lone Star adults, and then this one is *** Lone Star nymph. And the ultimate goal of that is to understand how those ticks are distributed, what their risk of giving disease to humans in the city is like, and how we can try to mitigate that. To protect yourself, you wanna wear long pants and long sleeves and ideally you want spray those…
ASSOCIATED PRESS provided aid JOURNALIST in Massachusetts, United States
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
Today we are just collecting ticks from the park. As we drag through it, ticks will get onto this drag cloth and we will use the tweezers to pull them off and put them into little vials, and those vials we are then going to bring back to our lab to identify the species and then send them off for disease testing. The main one is Lyme disease. Most people know about it. It's transmitted by the black legged ticks, which is the main tick that is, uh, we're studying. There's the tick that causes *** red meat allergy that people may have heard of that's the lone star tick. There's also other tick species. Some of these vials are packed with like 200 ticks just in in one. These two are Lone Star adults, and then this one is *** Lone Star nymph. And the ultimate goal of that is to understand how those ticks are distributed, what their risk of giving disease to humans in the city is like, and how we can try to mitigate that. To protect yourself, you wanna wear long pants and long sleeves and ideally you want spray those…
Lone star ticks are covering much of the U.S. Here's what you need to know
Lone star ticks are covering much of the U.S. Here's what you need to know
It's a tick that hunts you down and transmits a potentially dangerous allergy to red meat. <em>The New Yorker</em> writer Burkhard Bilger discusses the lone star tick and the risks of alpha-gal syndrome.
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the life-threatening meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the life-threatening meat allergy caused by tick bites
<p>WASHINGTON — It’s common knowledge that ticks can spread infections that cause serious illnesses, including Lyme disease. Now health officials are trying to raise awareness of a lesser-known problem: a life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites.</p>
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the meat allergy caused by tick bites
<p>Here is what to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites.</p>
Meat allergy from tick bites: Symptoms, risks, treatment options
Meat allergy from tick bites: Symptoms, risks, treatment options
It's common knowledge that ticks can spread infections that cause serious illnesses, including Lyme disease. Now health officials are trying to raise awareness of a lesser-kno...
DOCTOR appealed in Rocky Mountain, Massachusetts, United States
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
Today we are just collecting ticks from the park. As we drag through it, ticks will get onto this drag cloth and we will use the tweezers to pull them off and put them into little vials, and those vials we are then going to bring back to our lab to identify the species and then send them off for disease testing. The main one is Lyme disease. Most people know about it. It's transmitted by the black legged ticks, which is the main tick that is, uh, we're studying. There's the tick that causes *** red meat allergy that people may have heard of that's the lone star tick. There's also other tick species. Some of these vials are packed with like 200 ticks just in in one. These two are Lone Star adults, and then this one is *** Lone Star nymph. And the ultimate goal of that is to understand how those ticks are distributed, what their risk of giving disease to humans in the city is like, and how we can try to mitigate that. To protect yourself, you wanna wear long pants and long sleeves and ideally you want spray those…
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
Today we are just collecting ticks from the park. As we drag through it, ticks will get onto this drag cloth and we will use the tweezers to pull them off and put them into little vials, and those vials we are then going to bring back to our lab to identify the species and then send them off for disease testing. The main one is Lyme disease. Most people know about it. It's transmitted by the black legged ticks, which is the main tick that is, uh, we're studying. There's the tick that causes *** red meat allergy that people may have heard of that's the lone star tick. There's also other tick species. Some of these vials are packed with like 200 ticks just in in one. These two are Lone Star adults, and then this one is *** Lone Star nymph. And the ultimate goal of that is to understand how those ticks are distributed, what their risk of giving disease to humans in the city is like, and how we can try to mitigate that. To protect yourself, you wanna wear long pants and long sleeves and ideally you want spray those…
The Lone Star Tick: What to Know About the Tick that Causes a Red ...
The Lone Star Tick: What to Know About the Tick that Causes a Red ...
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Infectious Disease Services at NewYork-Presbyterian
Medically reviewed by
Brian Anthony Fallon, MD, MPH
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Written by
Levi Fishman
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Many people associate ticks with Lyme disease, but one particular tick that has become more prevalent in the Northeast — the lone star tick — transmits bacteria that could lead to another condition: a meat allergy.
Previously a southern-state dweller, this species of tick has moved north in recent years thanks to warming temperatures. The lone star tick is unique in that it can transmit a molecule that causes alpha-g…
ASSOCIATED PRESS provided aid UNITED STATES in Rocky Mountain, Massachusetts, United States
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the dangerous meat allergy caused by tick bites
Today we are just collecting ticks from the park. As we drag through it, ticks will get onto this drag cloth and we will use the tweezers to pull them off and put them into little vials, and those vials we are then going to bring back to our lab to identify the species and then send them off for disease testing. The main one is Lyme disease. Most people know about it. It's transmitted by the black legged ticks, which is the main tick that is, uh, we're studying. There's the tick that causes *** red meat allergy that people may have heard of that's the lone star tick. There's also other tick species. Some of these vials are packed with like 200 ticks just in in one. These two are Lone Star adults, and then this one is *** Lone Star nymph. And the ultimate goal of that is to understand how those ticks are distributed, what their risk of giving disease to humans in the city is like, and how we can try to mitigate that. To protect yourself, you wanna wear long pants and long sleeves and ideally you want spray those…
About Alpha-gal Syndrome | Alpha-gal Syndrome | CDC
About Alpha-gal Syndrome | Alpha-gal Syndrome | CDC
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergy and tickborne disease. Alpha-gal is a molecule (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) that is naturally produced in the bodies of most mammals but not in people. It is also found in the saliva (spit) of some ticks.
When a tick bites, it can transfer alpha-gal from its saliva into a person's blood. The body's natural defenses, or immune system, can identify alpha-gal as a threat and trigger an allergic reaction. Symptoms occur after people eat red meat or are exposed to otherproducts made from mammals. Because of this, AGS is also known as red meat allergy or tick bite meat allergy.
More than110,000 suspected cases of AGSwere identified between 2010 and 2022. However, cases of AGS are not nationally notifiable to CDC. The actual number of AGS cases in the United States is not known, but as many as 450,000 people may be affected. More data and research are needed to understand how many people are affected by this condition.
Most healthcare providers recommend patients with AGS stop eating:
AGS is caused by tick bites, though more research is needed to understand t…
Alpha-gal Syndrome: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment
Alpha-gal Syndrome: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment
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Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is an allergy to red meat, meat products and dairy that you develop after getting bitten by a tick. Products you might have an allergic reaction to include:
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Alpha-gal is a carbohydrate (sugar) molecule found in most mammals (other than humans) and tick saliva. Not everyone who gets a tick bite develops alpha-gal syndrome. And it’s unlikely that you’ll have a reaction to every food or product that could contain alpha-gal.
Symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome range from mild to severe. Sometimes, they can be life-threatening. Symptoms include:
You might have digestive or skin sympt…
Corroboration
No verdict, no pronouncement. The model extracts atomic factual claims with verbatim quotes; every quote is validated against the source text and corroboration is computed by counting how many editorially-opposed blocs assert each fact. 4 fabricated/unverifiable quotes were rejected by the cite-or-die gate.
The spine · 3 facts corroborated across ≥2 opposed blocs
2×broadly confirmedHealth officials are trying to raise awareness of a life‑threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites (alpha‑gal syndrome).
turkeywestern
triblive“Now health officials are trying to raise awareness of a lesser-known problem: a life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites.”
dailysabah“Now health officials are trying to raise awareness of a lesser-kno...”
2×cross-perspective · 2The lone star tick is the tick species that causes red‑meat allergy (alpha‑gal syndrome).
otherwestern
gdelt“There's the tick that causes *** red meat allergy that people may have heard of that's the lone star tick.”
npr“It's a tick that hunts you down and transmits a potentially dangerous allergy to red meat.”
1×broadly confirmedAlpha‑gal syndrome is a life‑threatening meat allergy caused by tick bites.
western
triblive“Now health officials are trying to raise awareness of a lesser-known problem: a life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites.”
wtae“Here is what to know about alpha-gal syndrome, the life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites.”
Single-source · 11 — reported by one bloc only (uncorroborated)
A large number of people may have a marker for tick‑linked meat allergy.
arstechnica
Some people develop alpha‑gal syndrome, a meat allergy caused by tick bites.
arstechnica
Ticks can spread infections that cause serious illnesses, including Lyme disease.
dailysabah
Lone star ticks are covering much of the United States.
npr
Researchers collect ticks from parks using a drag cloth, place them in vials, and send them to a lab for species identification and disease testing.
gdelt
Black‑legged ticks transmit Lyme disease.
gdelt
The goal of tick collection is to understand tick distribution, assess the risk of disease to humans, and develop mitigation strategies.
gdelt
Alpha‑gal syndrome was first linked to a particular tick species about 15 years ago.
wjcl.com
Cases of alpha‑gal syndrome are increasing as more people report symptoms such as hives, diarrhea, and itchiness after eating meat and sometimes dairy.
wjcl.com
Symptoms of alpha‑gal syndrome include hives, diarrhea, and itchiness after eating meat and sometimes dairy.
wjcl.com
The allergy does not impact consumption of seafood.
wjcl.com
Framing · 2 — loaded language surfaced (spin shown, not adopted)
arstechnica
“Surprisingly large number of people may have marker for tick-linked meat allergy”
→ Surprisingly
npr
“It's a tick that hunts you down and transmits a potentially dangerous allergy to red meat.”
→ potentially dangerous
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