Tick bites that make people allergic to red meat and increase heart disease risk

 Tick bites that make people allergic to red meat and increase heart disease risk

Lone Star Ticks spreads an allergy to red meat by which this allergy became risk to develop heart disease, according to the study. This is often found to be in southeast regions.  These ticks spread an allergy to a sugar compound called alpha-galactose, which is referred to as an alpha-gal allergy. As this compound is found in mammal meat, people often refer to this as a red meat allergy.

About 26% of the group was perceptive to alpha-gal. The patients who is suffering from this disease will be having an average of about 30% more plaque built up around their hearts, which will narrow arteries and lead to a heart attack or stroke. The plaque which are found in the patients increase in the heart disease.

This means that a patient who is suffering from alpha-gal is significantly more likely to develop heart disease, even if they don't have allergic reactions after eating meat.

Large percent of human population develops blood antibodies to this allergen which shows less symptoms around 20 percent among the population. The Lone Star tick was found in red meat, when it bites it sensitizes the allergen and produce allergy. The allergy increases based on the area where the ticks were found in large numbers for example Southeastern United States, but also found in some other areas like Long Island, New York. These allergens might even cause change in immunological responses which might result in the buildup of plaque and blocks the artery.

Signs and symptoms

 

The symptoms of this allergy are same kind of other allergies. But allergic reactions can vary greatly on a case-by-case basis.

Alpha-gal allergy can cause:

 

·         runny nose or congestion

·         diarrhea

·         nausea

·         sneezing

·         hives

·         asthma

·         anaphylaxis