MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNT) – What is the tick-borne syndrome that causes meat allergies? A Kansas college professor and entomologist learned the hard way after going into anaphylactic shock and being rushed to the emergency room.
Brian McCornack, head of the entomology department at Kansas State University, ended up in the emergency room after eating barbecue last September. He said he began experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms in August.
“I didn’t know what it was until I attended a seminar, (and then) started putting a lot of the pieces together,” McCornack said. “There’s a two-hour delay after you eat red meat, it breaks down … it gets into your bloodstream and your immune system reacts.”
The syndrome McCornack suffers from is called alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS for short. When a tick bites you, its saliva can contain a sugar molecule called a-Gal. When a-Gal enters the bloodstream, it can trigger an immune response. For many, that means avoiding any products containing mammalian meat.
The CDC reports that more than 110,000 suspected cases of AGS were identified in the United States between 2010 and 2022. The number is likely higher, however, because AGS is not a nationally reportable disease.
McCornack said it took months for AGS to build up in his body. He now says if he eats a steak, within two hours he will have shortness of breath and itchy hives. If he gets a high enough dose, his airways will constrict and he can go into shock.
“When I eat steak, it takes a while to digest,” McCormack says. “The steak is not the problem. It’s the sugars that are digested that cause my body and my immune system to react. (…) It’s the simplest form. It breaks down and the immune system says it’s a foreign body.”
People with alpha-gal syndrome are often advised to stop eating mammalian meats, including pork, lamb, venison, rabbit, and beef, as well as dairy products. The CDC notes, however, that some patients may not have a reaction to all products containing alpha-gal.
“You have meat products in everything, it’s also by-products, cheeses, etc. I can’t eat ice cream without having a severe reaction,” McCornack said. “With meat products in pharmaceuticals, I had to work closely with a pharmacist to make sure that the pharmaceuticals didn’t cause anaphylactic shock. If it’s genuine aspirin, they’re using synthetic agents, if it’s generic, they’re using animal-derived agents.”
McCornack said he thought he picked up the ticks while walking his dogs. He later found two lone star ticks: one engorged nymph that had fed on him, and the other, an adult male.
McCornack said it’s unclear how long he’ll live with the syndrome. For some people, it’ll only last a few years, but for others, it’ll last 12 to 15 years or more.
What is a lone star tick?
Lone star ticks are like most other ticks, but are described as fast and aggressive biters. Adult females are the largest and have a single white spot on their backs. Males are smaller and have visible black lines on their backs.
This year, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is warning Kansans of a surge in tick- and mosquito-borne diseases. The department said it has received more than 200 laboratory reports of tick-borne illnesses.
“Vector-borne diseases, whether they are transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes, are extremely prevalent this year,” said Dr. Erin Petro, KDHE Public Health Veterinarian, in June 2024. “I really encourage people to take the risk of vector-borne diseases seriously and take personal protective measures for themselves and their pets to reduce their risk of contracting an illness from a tick or mosquito bite. We are also seeing the emergence of tick-associated diseases, such as alpha-gal syndrome, that can have lifelong consequences for those affected, which is why bite prevention is so important.”
What is alpha-gal syndrome?
Sometimes known as AGS, alpha-gal syndrome is a potentially life-threatening allergy to red meat or other products made from mammals, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome occur alongside other allergic reactions, such as hives or itchy skin, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eyelids. Other symptoms include nausea or vomiting, severe stomach pain, heartburn or indigestion, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and dizziness or fainting, according to the CDC.
Earlier this year, K-State received $199,968 for its entomology department to help “cultivate awareness and resilience against alpha-gal syndrome in rural Kansas” through the 2024 Global Food Systems Seed Grant program.
“They (ticks) are everywhere in our environment,” McCornack said. “It’s important to be aware of them, to detect them early, to check for ticks. You have to check everywhere. Once they attach, there’s a risk.”
