Alpha-gal syndrome diagnoses in Arkansas: prompting tick awareness
By Katie Hamner
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FORT SMITH, Ark. (KHBS, KHOG) — As fall brings outdoor activities like football, hunting, and hiking, residents are being warned about alpha-gal syndrome. It’s a tick-borne illness that causes a severe allergy to red meat. Alpha-gal syndrome is a potentially life-threatening allergy caused by a bite from a lone star tick.
Hayley Franklin, a busy mom and real estate agent in Northwest Arkansas, said her diagnosis changed her life. “I feel like my whole life now revolves around my diet,” Franklin said. Her symptoms included gastrointestinal upset and stomach pain after meals, which experts say is a common timeline of symptoms. “They’ll eat a red meat for dinner, let’s say they have a steak for dinner, well, they wake up in the middle of the night with hives hands swollen, you know mouth swollen. That tends to be the typical presentation that leads us to start working up for alpha gal,” said Daniel Maechler, a nurse practitioner with Mercy Primary Care in Fort Smith.
Maechler explained that a lone star tick bite can transfer a molecule called alpha-gal. That can trigger a reaction in the immune system when a person eats red meat. A blood test can detect alpha-gal syndrome, but Maechler noted, “This is a kind of a newer diagnosis and kind of newer trend; there are no cures yet. We just have symptomatic management right now.” The severity of the syndrome can range from life-threatening to relatively mild.
Franklin shared that once she identified the root cause of her symptoms, she was able to follow a strict avoidance diet and find some relief. “I don’t ingest anything or put anything on my skin without reading the label first,” she said. Franklin carries an EpiPen in case of anaphylaxis, which is always a risk with alpha-gal syndrome.
Adam Roark also recounted his experience. He said he remembers being bitten by a tick while turkey hunting last spring. He developed severe symptoms months later. “I had symptoms on four different occasions, they were very severe… There was nothing left to doubt,” Roark said. After his diagnosis, he has to avoid beef and pork, which he finds to be simply an inconvenience.
Both Franklin and Roark shared their stories to alert others before a tick bite occurs. “The goal is to essentially not get bitten by a tick – so of course all the safety precautions, pants, long-sleeved shirts, bug spray that’s safe, and of course removing any ticks as fast as possible,” Maeckher said.
Now is the time to take precautions, especially for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers advice on avoiding tick bites, including treating clothing and gear with permethrin, using EPA-registered insect repellents, and checking for ticks after being outdoors.
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