Pennsylvania health officials tracking red meat allergy caused by lone star tick
It's been a bad tick season, and there are numerous types of ticks to look out for. One that's becoming more common in Pennsylvania can trigger an unusual food allergy.
The lone star tick hasn't made its way to the Pittsburgh area, that health officials know of, but experts are increasing their efforts to track the parasite.
What is the lone star tick?
If you enjoy the outdoors, you already know that deer ticks are the biggest risk in Pennsylvania, but the lone star tick is crawling around parts of the state. It's an aggressive tick that can transmit diseases and may trigger Alpha-Gal syndrome, a red meat allergy.
"If we're bitten by this tick and this molecule enters us, some people become sensitized to it and develop this allergy. No one quite knows why; just some people get it, and some people don't," said Leah Lind, Lyme and other tick-borne disease coordinator at the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
"A person might experience difficulty breathing, shortness of breath. They could have hives. They may even progress to anaphylaxis, which is severe," Lind added.
Lone star ticks are more common in southern states, but have been spreading northward. These ticks, distinguished by a white spot on their backs, have not been reported in southwestern Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection told KDKA-TV that lone star ticks remain primarily in southeastern Pennsylvania and have been found in Franklin and Erie counties. Lind said they're increasing data collection efforts to track cases of Alpha-Gal syndrome. She said they've requested voluntary reports from labs. They've been doing this since February.
"So, anyone who tests positive at these labs that have agreed to submit positive tests to us will be reported to us," she said.
Alpha-Gal syndrome explained
Lind said fewer than 50 positive lab reports of Alpha-Gal syndrome have been reported in Pennsylvania this year.
The health department will reach out to people who test positive to improve awareness of the potentially life-threatening meat allergy from lone star tick bites.
"Doing this is also helping us understand where the cases might be and where some additional focus or prevention efforts might be necessary," Lind added.
No matter where you live in Pennsylvania, Lind said to take these measures to prevent bites from all kinds of ticks:
- Spray clothes, shoes and gear with permethrin
- Apply EPA-registered tick repellent with DEET or picaridin
- Wear long pants and sleeves
- Check for ticks on yourself, your kids, and pets after spending time outside
- If you find one, remove it immediately
