Beware of the Lone Star

[billanole]

This stuff is no fun. Turkey bacon just isn’t the same.

A lone star tick bite can cause a meat allergy: Here's what to watch out for this summer

As the calendar turns to the warmer months, the CDC has issued updated surveillance for a tick that can cause a meat allergy: the lone star tick.

www.citizen-times.com

According to data collected by the government agency, between 2010 and 2022 there were more than 110,000 alpha-gal syndrome cases reported within the United States. However, the CDC said that up to 450,000 people might have been affected by the syndrome and not have reported it. In order for the syndrome to be counted in the data set, a positive diagnostic test and a clinical examination must be completed.

“Alpha-gal syndrome is an important emerging public health problem, with potentially severe health impacts that can last a lifetime for some patients,” Ann Carpenter, epidemiologist and lead author of a study released in 2023, said on the CDC’s website. “It’s critical for clinicians to be aware of (alpha-gal syndrome) so they can properly evaluate, diagnose, and manage their patients and also educate them on tick-bite prevention to protect patients from developing this allergic condition.”

 

[lonestar50]

This stuff is no fun. Turkey bacon just isn’t the same.

A lone star tick bite can cause a meat allergy: Here's what to watch out for this summer

As the calendar turns to the warmer months, the CDC has issued updated surveillance for a tick that can cause a meat allergy: the lone star tick.

www.citizen-times.com

According to data collected by the government agency, between 2010 and 2022 there were more than 110,000 alpha-gal syndrome cases reported within the United States. However, the CDC said that up to 450,000 people might have been affected by the syndrome and not have reported it. In order for the syndrome to be counted in the data set, a positive diagnostic test and a clinical examination must be completed.

“Alpha-gal syndrome is an important emerging public health problem, with potentially severe health impacts that can last a lifetime for some patients,” Ann Carpenter, epidemiologist and lead author of a study released in 2023, said on the CDC’s website. “It’s critical for clinicians to be aware of (alpha-gal syndrome) so they can properly evaluate, diagnose, and manage their patients and also educate them on tick-bite prevention to protect patients from developing this allergic condition.”

Stupid tick. Sullying the good name of Lonestar

 

[SolarHawk]

 

[millah_22]

OP do you have AG? I hate ticks. I hate them more than spiders and snakes. (I actually love spiders). I like to be outdoors and I am always meticulously checking for them. I have never seen a lone star yet, despite them being almost everywhere in eastern NE and most of Iowa. Luckily all I Pretty much see are dog ticks. Still, f*cking hate them.

All ticks are KOS.

 

[billanole]

OP do you have AG? I hate ticks. I hate them more than spiders and snakes. I like to be outdoors and I am always meticulously checking for them. I have never seen a lone star yet, despite them being almost everywhere in eastern NE and most of Iowa. Luckily all I Pretty much see are dog ticks. Still, f*cking hate them.

All ticks are KOS.

Yep, tho I haven’t seen a tick on me in years. The LS is very active in SW Virginia, where I hike and camp a lot, specifically on the AT and in the Virginia Highlands area.
I nearly tapped out one day after an Italian sub lunch.

 

[millah_22]

Yep, tho I haven’t seen a tick on me in years. The LS is very active in SW Virginia, where I hike and camp a lot, specifically on the AT and in the Virginia Highlands area.
I nearly tapped out one day after an Italian sub lunch.

Wild. Do they suspect you maybe just had a bite and it got brushed off or something? What were the tests like? Just basically a blood sample? I was under the impression that they needed to be attached around 24 hours otherwise you were unlikely to become infected. Maybe that's not necesarily true or only pertains to lyme.

 

[jonesy5960]

This sounds like a feature not a bug. Americans eat too much red meat.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Currently on day 4 of Doxycycline. Got lit up by the lone star this past weekend. Found it soon so pretty sure I'm good to go.

 

[billanole]

Wild. Do they suspect you maybe just had a bite and it got brushed off or something? What were the tests like? Just basically a blood sample? I was under the impression that they needed to be attached around 24 hours otherwise you were unlikely to become infected. Maybe that's not necesarily true or only pertains to lyme.

No clue when infected. Emergency room Doc in South Carolina mentioned a vague reference to a “red meat allergy” he had heard about.
My primary sent me to an allergist who did blood work as well as pricking my back with six known allergens to test for reactions. Since I reacted violently in SC, she suspected fire ants. I told her that growing up in N. Fl I know fire ants and there had been no bite.
Tests results were mild reaction to fire ants (of course, those MF’s suck) and strong reaction to Alpha Gal.
I have since seen an article referencing a survey of a large number of MDs and over 40% were unaware of AG. They then interpolated the number out to suggest the large number of undiagnosed cases.
Multiple restaurants I have eaten in the nearly year and a half since diagnosis are familiar with the issue as patrons have specified mammal free products. I am lucky to be tolerant of dairy products.
One place in Virginia told me that a long time customer became free of the problem, which tracks with the suggestion that after 2-4 years some folks become AG free… until reinfection.
I have had to pop Benadryl from time to time with mild reactions, had to nail myself with an EPI one night during a violent episode. Crazy hives and itching, chills, dizziness and blurry vision. Almost instant relief began after the EPI prick.

 

[noleclone2]

I have a good friend who had this happen to him about 18 months ago. First it was just bed and now it is any hoofed mammals. Which were all is favorite. He is pretty miserable and sick of chicken and fish.

 

[billanole]

Currently on day 4 of Doxycycline. Got lit up by the lone star this past weekend. Found it soon so pretty sure I'm good to go.

Interesting. I have never heard of that drug, but have known folks with Lyme disease, for which it is used.


Specifically, doxycycline is indicated for treatment of the following diseases:[29][30]

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus fever and the typhus group, scrub typhus,[31] Q fever,[32] rickettsialpox, and tick fevers caused by Rickettsia,[33][34][35]
• respiratory tract infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae,[36]
• Lymphogranuloma venereum, trachoma, inclusion conjunctivitis, and uncomplicated urethral, endocervical, or rectal infections in adults caused by Chlamydia trachomatis,[29][30]
• psittacosis,[29][30]
• non-gonococcal urethritis caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum,[29][30]
• relapsing fever due to Borrelia recurrentis,[29][30]
• chancroid caused by Haemophilus ducreyi,[29][30]
• plague due to Yersinia pestis,[29][30]
• tularemia,[29][30]
• cholera,[29][30]
• campylobacter fetus infections,[29][30]
• brucellosis caused by Brucella species (in conjunction with streptomycin),[29][30]
• bartonellosis,[29][30]
• granuloma inguinale (Klebsiella species),[29][30]
• Lyme disease:[37] it can be used in adults and children. For treatment or prophylaxis of Lyme disease in children, it can be used for a duration of up to 21 days in children of any age.[38]Doxycycline is specifically indicated to treat Lyme disease for patients presenting with erythema migrans. As for the optimal duation of treatment of this disease, guidelines vary, with some recommending a 10-day course of doxycycline, while others suggest a 14-day course; still, recent data suggest that even a 7-day course of doxycycline can be effective. Compared to other drugs, there are no significant differences in treatment response across antibiotic agents, doses, or durations when comparing 14 days versus 21 days, as such, the optimal duration of treatment of Lyme disease remains uncertain, as prolonged antibiotic courses have drawbacks, including diminishing returns in terms of patient outcomes, heightened risks of adverse events, superinfections, increased healthcare costs, and the potential for development of antibiotic resistance, therefore, the consensus remains to treat patients with the shortest effective duration of antibiotics, as is the case with doxy

 

[MichaelKeller99]

This sounds like a feature not a bug. Americans eat too much red meat.

Lmao.

Americans eat too much wheat and corn and drink too many drinks infused with sugar, chemicals, food dyes, etc.

 

[billanole]

I have a good friend who had this happen to him about 18 months ago. First it was just bed and now it is any hoofed mammals. Which were all is favorite. He is pretty miserable and sick of chicken and fish.

I resemble that remark, tho long term it is good to eat less meat. We eat more Turkey and veggie dishes these days. The no pic has embraced the diet change, luckily.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Interesting. I have never heard of that drug, but have known folks with Lyme disease, for which it is used.


Specifically, doxycycline is indicated for treatment of the following diseases:[29][30]

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus fever and the typhus group, scrub typhus,[31] Q fever,[32] rickettsialpox, and tick fevers caused by Rickettsia,[33][34][35]
• respiratory tract infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae,[36]
• Lymphogranuloma venereum, trachoma, inclusion conjunctivitis, and uncomplicated urethral, endocervical, or rectal infections in adults caused by Chlamydia trachomatis,[29][30]
• psittacosis,[29][30]
• non-gonococcal urethritis caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum,[29][30]
• relapsing fever due to Borrelia recurrentis,[29][30]
• chancroid caused by Haemophilus ducreyi,[29][30]
• plague due to Yersinia pestis,[29][30]
• tularemia,[29][30]
• cholera,[29][30]
• campylobacter fetus infections,[29][30]
• brucellosis caused by Brucella species (in conjunction with streptomycin),[29][30]
• bartonellosis,[29][30]
• granuloma inguinale (Klebsiella species),[29][30]
• Lyme disease:[37] it can be used in adults and children. For treatment or prophylaxis of Lyme disease in children, it can be used for a duration of up to 21 days in children of any age.[38]Doxycycline is specifically indicated to treat Lyme disease for patients presenting with erythema migrans. As for the optimal duation of treatment of this disease, guidelines vary, with some recommending a 10-day course of doxycycline, while others suggest a 14-day course; still, recent data suggest that even a 7-day course of doxycycline can be effective. Compared to other drugs, there are no significant differences in treatment response across antibiotic agents, doses, or durations when comparing 14 days versus 21 days, as such, the optimal duration of treatment of Lyme disease remains uncertain, as prolonged antibiotic courses have drawbacks, including diminishing returns in terms of patient outcomes, heightened risks of adverse events, superinfections, increased healthcare costs, and the potential for development of antibiotic resistance, therefore, the consensus remains to treat patients with the shortest effective duration of antibiotics, as is the case with doxy

Last year I had a similar bite on my ear. Now that I see what this latest bite did (confirmed lone star), I'm pretty certain it was also the lone star tick last year. I didn't go to the doctor last year which was a mistake because the wound site lasted much longer. Lost count of how many ticks I found on me during May and June last year. So far this year I've only had two. Between that and the poison ivy infections, you'd think I'd learn my lesson.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Currently on day 4 of Doxycycline. Got lit up by the lone star this past weekend. Found it soon so pretty sure I'm good to go.

Hope you heal without issue. That no meat thing sounds awful.

 

[drew_hawk]

^^When you've just been informed that the cure for alpha-gal syndrome is Raspberries

 

[Scruddy]

This sounds like a feature not a bug. Americans eat too much red meat.

In pretty sure ticks are definitely bugs not features

 

[Colonoscopy]

OP do you have AG? I hate ticks. I hate them more than spiders and snakes. (I actually love spiders). I like to be outdoors and I am always meticulously checking for them. I have never seen a lone star yet, despite them being almost everywhere in eastern NE and most of Iowa. Luckily all I Pretty much see are dog ticks. Still, f*cking hate them.

All ticks are KOS.

I hate ticks more than milk Legos or windshield wipers