You may have heard about Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 110,000 suspected cases of alpha-gal syndrome were identified between 2010 and 2022. However, the actual number may be much higher due to underdiagnosis and lack of awareness among healthcare providers.
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“Alpha-gal is a short abbreviation for galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose. It’s a sugar molecule found in nonprimate mammalian meats,” explains Dr. Pritt.
This includes meats like beef, pork, lamb, and venison.
“People who develop alpha-gal syndrome after a tick bite become allergic to mammalian meat, except for primate meat,” says Dr. Pritt.
This means poultry, fish, and seafood are safe to consume. The CDC provides a list of food products that may contain alpha-gal.
In the U.S., the primary culprit is the 