A Tick Bite May Kill Your Taste For Meat…Ice Cream Too

The CDC is now out with a warning during this tick bite season that has nothing to do with Lyme disease. Over the past several years, cases of a disease known as alpha-gal syndrome have been on the rise.

Alpha-gal is a nickname for the sugar galactose-alpha-1,3 galactose, and this sugar is found in many mammals but not in us. The alpha-gal problem is that a bite from ticks, specifically the so-called Long Star tick, can trigger an allergic reaction to this sugar in you. Then, should you eat meat such as beef, pork, lamb or products from mammals such as ice cream or whipped cream, you would develop so called alpha-gal syndrome. That can manifest itself as rashes, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat, heartburn, cough, breathing difficulties, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Reactions are different for every sensitized person, but they may be life-threatening.

Best bet: to prevent Lyme Disease and Alpha-gal Syndrome, avoid tick-laden zones like marshes and woods. If you go there, cover up and use insect repellant. If you do think you have an alpha-gal allergy, its time to see an allergist pronto.

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html

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