Strange Tick Disease on The Rise

Summer is a time for ice cream, warm evenings, fireworks, thunderstorms, and --- ticks. Not everything about summer is a bright and sunny vacation. Unfortunately, there are also some dangers to watch out for, one coming in the form of tiny arachnids now spreading an unnerving disease that is affecting more and more people, especially in the east and southeast U.S.

Ticks carry all sorts of nasty infections that you’ve probably heard of by now, but the most recent illness, carried by the lone star tick, is rather strange and potentially deadly unless you change your diet forever. See this chart to better identify a lone star tick.

The lone star tick can be found in many eastern and southeastern areas of the United States. Its size is typically only two to five millimeters, making it hard to spot if you’re hiking in the woods or walking through grassy areas. You can identify a female lone star tick by the small white dot on her back. Most times, their bites are painless and you won’t notice you've been bitten unless you check yourself or if the tick saliva makes your skin irritated.

Strange Allergies

If you’re lucky, your tick problems will stop at a little skin irritation and being grossed out that it was biting you. But, in other cases you could develop a potentially dangerous disease that renders you severely allergic to red meat and pork. You may be thinking that this claim sounds a little far-fetched, right? But don’t underestimate it simply because it sounds weird. Over the last decade, studies have been looking for the reason behind the strange allergy since its discovery by immunologist Thomas Platts-Mills. Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, or alpha gal, is a sugar found in red meat. If you’re bitten by a lone star tick this sugar can cause your immune system to go haywire and give you a serious allergic reaction, anything from breaking out in hives to losing your ability to breathe.

Treatment and Prevention

It’s important to know that if you eat any red meat and experience any symptoms, you should go see a doctor as soon as possible. At the moment there is no way to treat this problem other than to stay away from pork and beef. It’s not exactly the ideal situation if you’re a meat-lover who’s been waiting on those backyard summer barbeques.

This is no reason to panic, of course. If you haven’t had any problems yet, you can still protect yourself from ticks. Going out for a long walk or hike can be a fun activity to do with friends on a nice day --- you don’t need to deprive yourself of doing what you enjoy. If you’re going to be outside for an extended period in a grassy or wooded spot, you can take care of yourself by wearing long sleeves and pants, as well as high socks and close-toed shoes. Wear bug repellent and bring extra with you, and do thorough checks on your clothes and skin when you go back inside.

By taking these extra measures to keep yourself safe, you can avoid irritating ticks and a trip to the doctor. It is possible to stay healthy and have fun at the same time.

Other Sources:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/red-meat-allergy-transmitted-by-lone-star-ticks-on-the-rise/
https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/lone-star-tick-on-the-rise-can-cause-red-meat-and-dairy-allergy/1285618426
https://www.today.com/health/lone-star-tick-bites-cause-more-red-meat-allergy-cases-t131896