New CDC-led research has found that up to a half million people in the U.S. have developed alpha-gal syndrome from tick bites since 2010.
Alpha-gal is a sugar found in the muscles of most mammals, with humans being an important exception. Our natural lack of alpha-gal is one major reason why we can’t use transplanted organs from nonhuman animals like pigs, since our bodies can develop a severe immune response to its constant presence .People can normally tolerate the alpha-gal found in the meats and other food products we eat without issue.
, a team of scientists from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as well as other alpha-gal experts have tried to figure out that question in particular.To come up with their estimates, they first looked at alpha-gal antibody testing data collected in the U.S. During the study period, 357,119 tests were collected, accounting for over 290,000 people. Of these, about 90,000 people tested positive for the allergy. Coupled with studies that collected earlier testing data, the team identified 110,229 suspected cases of alpha-gal syndrome that were documented during 2010–2022.It’s possible that some of these positive results might not indicate a genuine case of the syndrome.
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