K-State issues warning on red meat allergy spread by ticks
MANHATTAN (KSNT) - Researchers with Kansas State University are working on a project to help people recover from a meat allergy being spread by ticks.
Staff at K-State are working together to find solutions for people who are being impacted by alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), according to a recent publication from the university. People who show symptoms of AGS can become allergic to some red meats and other products, a negative health condition that is becoming more common in parts of the state.
AGS can be spread by ticks, such as the Lone Star tick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People who acquire AGS can display the following symptoms:
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Heartburn or indigestion.
- Diarrhea
- Cough, shortness of breath or trouble breathing.
- Dizziness or feeling faint.
- Swelling of the lips, throat, tongue or eyelids.
- Drop in blood pressure.
- Powerful stomach pain.
- Hives or itchy rash.
Brian McCornack, head of Entomology at K-State, was hospitalized in 2023 after contracting AGS. He told 27 News during an interview that he developed a severe allergic reaction to red meat which left him feeling short of breath and covered in itchy hives after eating a steak.
Priscilla Brenes, a K-State Research and Extension nutrition and wellness specialist, surveyed extension agents in Kansas late last year. The objective was to identify how many agents are aware of the problems or spread of AGS in Kansas.
“The majority of those who responded indicated that there is not enough information available regarding AGS,” Brenes said. “They want to know more about this topic so that they can educate the people in their communities.”
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) lists counties in the southeastern part of the state as having the most suspected cases of AGS overall in a study conducted from 2017 to 2022. AGS is currently not a reportable condition in Kansas.
Michael Chao, a meat scientist at the university, said people with AGS need to be informed about how they can reintroduce meat back into their diets. Researchers have found evidence that the levels of antibodies that lead to allergic reactions fall over time, with some people being able to eat red meat again without issue, according to a Yale School of Medicine report.
Chao is currently looking into how different meat products can impact people who have AGS. He is using meat products from hot dogs to beef jerky to help understand AGS better.
“In this way, we can find a better relationship between eating red meat and humans’ response to it,” Chao said. “Our hope is that we can use that information to help people reintroduce red meat into their diet when they’re ready for it.”
The CDC and K-State Entomologist Yoonseong Park both list the Lone Star tick as being the primary cause behind the spread of AGS. Less than 10% of people bitten by these ticks go on to develop AGS.
“Some people are not very sensitive, and might be able to eat some levels of red meat,” Park said.
People who think they have contracted AGS are encouraged to contact their respective healthcare providers for assistance. K-State warns that in some extreme cases people may develop life-threatening allergic reactions to red meat due to AGS.
“I’m an entomologist, and so my advice to people who want to avoid this allergen is to just not be bitten by ticks,” said Park.
K-State's extension service will be conducting a survey in the near future in all 105 counties in Kansas involving consumers on AGS. Participants will be given a financial incentive to take part in the survey.
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