Doctors in Arkansas are sounding the alarm about a dangerous disease that is becoming an increasing concern in the state.
What’s going on?
According to 4029 News, doctors are urging caution during the winter months due to a sharp increase in cases of Alpha-gal syndrome in Arkansas.
It is spread by tick bites, and is best known for its primary symptom of causing a severe allergic reaction to red meat.
“They’ll eat red meat for dinner, let’s say they have steak for dinner, well, they wake up in the middle of the night with hives, swollen hands, you know, swollen mouth,” said Daniel Maechler, a nurse practitioner with Mercy Primary Care in Fort Smith.
“This tends to be the typical presentation that gets us started working for Alpha-gal.”
Alpha-gal requires a blood test to diagnose, as it is a relatively recent addition to the list of diseases affecting humans.
Why is Alpha-gal syndrome concerning?
While being allergic to red meat is a concern for many, the fact that those affected can suddenly develop a potentially life-threatening allergy is a serious problem.
The reaction can result in fairly mild hives and swelling, but it can also lead to anaphylaxis, which is more concerning.
Since beef stock can be found in a number of foods you might not expect, those affected need to be diligent in sticking to a diet without red meat to avoid a potentially fatal reaction.
Cases of Alpha-gal in the United States were previously seen primarily in the deep South or in the summer months elsewhere in the country, because ticks cannot survive the cold winter months.
However, as our climate has warmed, the range of ticks has expanded, and they have become a more prominent threat to monitor.
What is being done about Alpha-gal syndrome?
Unfortunately, there is not much information available about treatments for Alpha-gal, although red meat should be avoided.
“This is kind of a newer diagnosis and kind of a newer trend; there’s no cure yet,” Maechler said, “We just have symptomatic management right now.”
The best way to avoid Alpha-gal is to wear long pants, long sleeve shirts, and safe bug repellent when in the woods.
Doing routine tick checks after any outing can help catch them before they have a chance to infect you.
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