Latest news with #JohannaSalzer
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Medical researchers issue urgent health alert after linking ticks to fatal reactions: 'It does happen'
New studies have linked two new tick species to alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially fatal tick-borne allergic reaction that is also known as the red meat allergy. A pair of recent research papers have, for the first time, identified black-legged ticks and western black-legged ticks as culprits in the spread of AGS, an allergic condition that can be passed on from ticks to humans via a bite. West Virginia news station WTAP summarized the findings, including a case study of a Washington woman who developed the syndrome after being bitten by a western black-legged tick and another case study of a Maine woman who developed AGS after being bitten by a black-legged tick. It noted that both of these states were outside the range of the lone star tick, the species primarily associated with the spread of this disease in the United States. "These are single case reports, so we believe that this probably is fairly rare, but it does happen," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention epidemiologist Johanna Salzer told the news agency. "So, just encouraging people that they should protect themselves against tick bites, whether that is a black-legged tick, or a lone star tick or western black-legged tick, is the main message here." According to Yale Medicine, this condition makes people allergic to alpha-gal, a sugar found in meat derived from mammals such as beef or lamb. Alpha-gal can also be found in a variety of foods, medications, and medical products that are made from materials derived from mammals. The allergic reaction generally occurs 3-6 hours after eating meat, dairy, or other products made from mammals, per Yale, and symptoms include hives or an itchy rash; constipation; diarrhea; cough; shortness of breath; a drop in blood pressure; and swelling of the lips, tongue, and eyelids. However, the CDC says that many health care providers are unfamiliar with the condition, so affected people may not get tested. The agency estimates that as many as 450,000 Americans might have been affected by AGS. The overheating planet with its warmer temperatures and milder winters is creating more ideal conditions for disease-spreading vectors such as ticks to expand their ranges and thrive. For instance, Montana authorities recently announced that one resident found a deer tick — a Lyme disease-carrying species that had not been previously documented in the state — on their dog. Lyme disease risk also doubled in the Canadian province of Québec and tripled in Manitoba between 2000 and 2015, according to one study. The best way to prevent tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease and the alpha-gal syndrome food allergy, is to avoid getting bitten by ticks. The CDC recommends reducing exposure and says that ticks are generally most active during warmer months. The agency also advises taking actions including treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin; avoiding wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and leaf litter; walking in the center of trails; and inspecting gear, pets, and clothing for ticks when you return inside from being outdoors. Do you worry about getting diseases from bug bites? Absolutely Only when I'm camping or hiking Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Scientists are working on a new tick-repelling drug for humans that works similarly to the chewable tablets given to dogs. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Two additional tick species can transmit red meat allergies: See where they are
Two additional tick species can transmit red meat allergies: See where they are Ticks have been known to transmit diseases to humans, such as Lyme disease, babesiosis or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but now a recently discovered red meat allergy could become more common. The red meat allergy, or alpha-gal syndrome, was first reported in 2009 and is still relatively rare. Once a person is bitten and infected, symptoms appear after they eat red meat or if they're exposed to other animal products, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Until recently, scientists thought only the lone star tick could spread the disease. But a new study finds bites from two other tick species – the blacklegged tick and Western blacklegged wood tick – can trigger the allergy, too. Where the three tick species linked to red meat allergies are found The eastern and southern U.S. is home to the majority of lone star tick populations. The blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick, is widespread in the East. Western blacklegged wood ticks are found on the West Coast. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Where alpha-gal syndrome cases have been reported the US More than 110,000 cases of alpha-gal syndrome were documented in the U.S. from 2010 to 2022, according to CDC data, but the agency estimates up to 450,000 people may have been infected and most didn't report it. "The overwhelmingly vast majority of cases occur within the range of the lone star tick, which is why most cases of AGS are found in the eastern, southeastern and the south-central parts of the United States," Dr. Johanna Salzer, veterinarian and disease ecologists at the CDC, told USA TODAY in a statement. What are the symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome? Alpha-gal, a sugar molecule, enters the body via a tick bite. In certain people, this sets off a response from the immune system, the body's defense mechanism. Red meats such as lamb, beef and pork can trigger mild to severe allergic responses, according to the CDC. Reactions to other foods that come from animals, such as dairy or gelatins, also can occur. Are you risking Lyme disease? Here's how to remove ticks Are you removing ticks correctly? Here's everything you need to know about ticks and how you can combat Lyme disease. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY Ways to prevent tick bites If you expect to be in an area where ticks live, such a backyard, park or campsite, be extra careful when venturing outside. Ticks can be a year-round annoyance, but they are most active in the warmer months of April through September. CONTRIBUTING Jim Sergent, Ahjané Forbes and Julia Gomez SOURCE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota and USA TODAY research This story was updated to add new information.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Multiple species of ticks in the US can transmit red meat allergy, CDC reports reveal
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Until recently, scientists thought a rare and potentially deadly meat allergy was transmitted by just one species of tick found in the U.S. — the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). However, new reports of the allergy, called alpha-gal syndrome, show that the much more widespread black-legged ticks (Ixodes) can also transmit the disease. Whereas lone star ticks are found mainly in the southern and eastern U.S., black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), also called deer ticks, are present in the eastern half of the U.S. and the Midwest and the western black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus) inhabits the West Coast, according to Mayo Clinic. The new case reports suggest that people in a wide swath of the U.S. are at risk of tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome. However, "evidence continues to support that in the U.S., most alpha-gal syndrome patients develop the allergy after experiencing a bite from a lone star tick," Dr. Johanna Salzer, a veterinary medical officer and epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Vector-Borne Diseases and a co-author of both case reports, told Live Science in an email. Given that a variety of tick species have been linked to alpha-gal syndrome outside the U.S., scientists had long suspected that black-legged ticks in the U.S. also transmit the allergy. "For us, it was never just the lone star tick," Jennifer Platt, co-founder of the nonprofit Tick-Borne Conditions United and an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, wrote in a blog post. "With thousands of Lyme [a tick-borne disease] patients telling us they can't tolerate red meat, we've long suspected black-legged ticks and other tick species in the US," she noted. "Although our publications are some of the first reports linking blacklegged ticks in the US to alpha-gal syndrome, bites from these species in the U.S. leading to alpha-gal syndrome almost certainly have occurred prior to these reports," Salzer said. In alpha-gal syndrome, the immune system overreacts to a sugar known as galactose-α-1,3-galactose, or "alpha-gal" for short. Those affected can develop severe allergic reactions not only to red meat but also to some medications, personal care products, and medical treatments containing ingredients from mammalian tissues, where this sugar is found. Related: Tick season: What to know about bites, removing ticks and tick-borne diseases The first case, reported in the April 4 issue of the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, described a Maine woman who developed alpha-gal syndrome after a confirmed black-legged tick (I. scapularis) bite. The 45-year-old woman first experienced inflammation and itchiness at the bite site, followed by abdominal pain and malaise nine days later, after eating rabbit. Over the next two weeks, she continued having digestive problems after consuming red meat. A severe episode of diarrhea and vomiting hours after she ate beef prompted her to visit a health care provider 20 days after the tick bite. Blood tests revealed extremely high levels of alpha-gal-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), confirming alpha-gal syndrome. Her allergy resolved after 10 months. The second case of alpha-gal syndrome, reported in the same journal issue, involved a 61-year-old wildlife biologist in Washington. After a confirmed bite from the western black-legged tick (I. pacificus), she experienced a skin rash and lip swelling, followed by a severe allergic reaction 29 days later, after she ate red meat, and required emergency epinephrine (EpiPen) treatment. After being diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome, she avoided meat and had no further reactions. Some years later, she got two more I. pacificus tick bites, which triggered a rise in alpha-gal IgE antibodies. To date, why tick bites can trigger alpha-gal syndrome is poorly understood. "We are only beginning to delve into the science of this and other tick-borne diseases — there's so much we don't know," Platt said. RELATED STORIES —Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise. Here's how to protect yourself. —32 scary parasitic diseases —Should we kill every mosquito on Earth? Research has shown that some tick species produce alpha-gal antigens — proteins that trigger an immune response — and secrete these antigens in their saliva during feeding. This may trigger the alpha-gal allergy in humans. "The ticks do NOT pick up [alpha-gal antigens] from animals and then transmit them to humans," Platt emphasized. "More studies are needed to discover details about how a tick bite triggers alpha-gal syndrome in some people, and why bites from lone star ticks appear to cause the majority of the human cases in the United States versus blacklegged, western blacklegged, and other ticks," Salzer said. Preventing tick bites is the best way to protect against alpha-gal syndrome and other tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease and Powassan virus. "When you anticipate being in areas where ticks may live, use an EPA-registered insect repellent and wear permethrin-treated clothing," Salzer advised.
