K-State professor gets life-threatening meat allergy from tick

MANHATTAN ( KSNT ) – What is the tick-borne syndrome that causes meat allergies? One K-State entomologist learned the hard way after going into anaphylactic shock and being rushed to the emergency room.

Head of Entomology at K-State, Brian McCornack, found himself in the ER after eating barbeque last September. He said he started to show gastrointestinal symptoms in August.

“I didn’t know what it was until a seminar, started putting a lot of pieces together,” McCornack said. “There’s a two-hour delay post-meal, so you have red meat, it breaks it down… gets into your bloodstream and your immune system basically responds.”

The syndrome McCornack contracted is called Alpha-gal syndrome or AGS for short. When a tick bites you its saliva can contain a sugar molecule called a-Gal. When a-Gal enters the blood it can cause an immune response. For many, it means avoiding any products that have mammalian meat products.

The CDC reports that from 2010 to 2022, more than 110,000 suspected cases of AGS were identified in the U.S. The number is likely higher, though, because AGS is not a nationally notifiable condition.

McCornack said it took months for the AGS to develop in his body. He says now if he has a steak, within two hours he will have shortness of breath and itchy hives. If he has a high enough dose his airways will constrict and he can go into shock.

“When I eat steak it takes time to digest,” McCornack said. “Steak isn’t the problem it’s the sugars that are digested that my body and my immune system responds to… It’s the simplest form. It breaks down and the immune system says this is a foreign body.”

Those with alpha-gal syndrome are often advised to stop eating meat from mammals, including pork, lamb, venison, rabbit, and beef, as well as milk products. The CDC notes, though, that some patients may not experience a reaction to every product that contains alpha-gal .

“Meat products are in everything, it’s actually byproducts as well, cheeses, you name it, ice cream I can’t have it without having a severe reaction,” McCornack said. “Meat products in pharmaceuticals, I had to work closely with a pharmacist to make sure the pharmaceuticals don’t cause anaphylactic shock. If it’s genuine aspirin they use synthetic-acting agents, if it’s generic they use animal-based.”

McCornack said he thinks he got the ticks while taking his dogs for a walk. He found two lone star ticks, one was a nymph that was engorged and had been feeding on him and the other was an adult male.

McCornack said it’s unknown how long he’ll be living with the syndrome. He said for some people it’s a couple of years but others have dealt with it for 12 to 15 years or more.

What is a lone star tick?

Lone star ticks are like most other ticks but are described as fast-moving, aggressive biters. Adult female lone star ticks are the largest and have a single white dot on their backs. Male lone star ticks are smaller with black lines visible on their back.

This year the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is warning Kansans of an uptick in tick and mosquito-borne diseases. The department said it has received more than 200 laboratory reports of tickborne diseases.

“Vector-borne diseases, both those that are transmitted by ticks and those transmitted by mosquitoes are extremely active this year,” Dr. Erin Petro, KDHE State Public Health Veterinarian, said in June 2024. “I really encourage people to take the risk of vector-borne diseases seriously and take personal protective measures for themselves and their pets to reduce their chance of acquiring an illness from a tick or mosquito bite. We’re also seeing emerging tick-associated conditions, like Alpha-gal syndrome, which can have lifelong consequences for those affected, which is why bite prevention is so important.”

What is alpha-gal syndrome?

Sometimes known as AGS, alpha-gal syndrome is a potentially life-threatening allergy to red meat or other products made from mammals, according to the CDC . The agency reports that from 2010 to 2022, more than 110,000 suspected cases of AGC were identified in the U.S. The number is likely higher, though, because AGS is not a nationally notifiable condition.

Symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome align with other allergic reactions, like hives or itchy skin; coughing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing; and swelling of the lips, throat, tongues, or eyelids. Other symptoms include nausea or vomiting, severe stomach pain, heartburn or indigestion, diarrhea, a drop in blood pressure, and dizziness or faintness, according to the CDC.

Earlier this year K-State was granted $199,968 to its Entomology Department to help ‘cultivate awareness and resilience against alpha-gal syndrome in rural Kansas’ as part of the 2024 Global Food Systems Seed Grant Program.

“They [ticks] are everywhere in our environment,” McCornack said. “Being aware of it is a big deal, catching it early, doing tick checks making sure you don’t have any ticks. You want to check everywhere. Once they’ve attached, there’s a chance.”

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