Could Tick Bites Be Responsible for an Increase in Meat Allergies

When you think of food allergies, what do you think of? If you’re like most people, you think of shellfish, eggs, or nut allergies. While these are all common food allergies, you may be surprised to learn that in recent years, more and more people have become allergic to red meat. Why is this? And what can be done about it? Read on to learn more and then contact Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 for more information on food allergy testing.

The culprit behind meat allergies

In the case of meat allergies, it’s known what the cause is: A molecule that’s found in red meat known as galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose, or just alpha-gal. Generally speaking, people aren’t allergic to this sugar molecule naturally. They’re only allergic to it if they are bitten by a tick – one specific tick in fact. The lone star tick, so called because it has a white Texas-shaped spot on its back, is the critical link to the increase of the allergy.

The study that brought this link to light

This all was discovered when a new and effective cancer drug seemed to be resulting in allergy-like side effects 10 times as often for people who lived in the Southeastern states of the U.S. compared with elsewhere in the country. A researcher and the drug’s distributor got together to complete blood tests and found that all the patients who were experiencing the allergy-like symptoms had pre-existing antibodies to the sugar described above. They then found that this sugar was also found in the cancer drug.

That solved the mystery of what these people had in common, but left an important question: Why were people in the Southeastern U.S. so much more likely to have these issues? The researchers mapped the area where the outbreak was occurring and found that it was also consistent with a disease known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which is caused by the lone star tick. Once they figured that out, they were able to screen patients and find out that 80% of those who were having the allergies had previous tick bites.

There’s still plenty to be discovered

Now the that researchers known that the tick bites play a role in these red meat allergies and the same allergic reaction to the cancer drug, there’s work to be done to discover why. Some believe that it’s likely a virus or bacteria is carried in the saliva of the tick, but this has yet to be confirmed. What is known is that there is a link between these bites and the issue.

If you have any type of food allergy, whether brand new or one you’ve dealt with for years, working with Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group could provide you with the answers you need. Reach out to us today at 805-658-9500 to make an appointment. We can provide full testing services and treatment plans to help you with your allergies.