Tick-borne red meat allergy (α-gal syndrome)

Rowan Hutchins — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Date Added:

October 8, 2023

Journal/Publication:

CMAJ

Publisher:

CMA

Publication Date:

October 3, 2023

Issue:

Volume:

195

URL:

Tick-borne red meat allergy (α-gal syndrome)

Type:

Meta-analyses, Reviews, and Guidelines

Format:

Article

DOI (1):

10.1503/cmaj.231067

Keywords

tick-borne illness

Allergic reactions

red meat allery

PMID (1):

37788844

MeSH

Tick Bites

Ticks

Allergic

A consice summary of the cause, diagnosis, and consequences of alpha-gal syndrome (red meat allergy secondary to tick bite). James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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Tick-borne red meat allergy occurs from sensitization to a carbohydrate, galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal)

The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is commonly found in the southern United States, but its prevalence in Canada is increasing.1 The tick’s saliva contains a high level of α-gal, a carbohydrate antigen also present in nonprimate mammalian cell membranes.2 Skin and bloodstream exposure to this antigen through a tick bite leads to sensitization to the carbohydrate and, subsequently, to red meat allergy.

Author/s:

Jeimy, Samira, Zhu, Rongbo

Diagnosis of Lyme Disease

Saige Blanchard — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Date Added:

March 10, 2022

Journal/Publication:

Journal of the American Medical Association

Publisher:

American Medical Association

URL:

Diagnosis of Lyme Disease

Type:

Meta-analyses, Reviews, and Guidelines

Format:

Article

DOI (1):

10.1001/jama.2022.0081

Keywords

MeSH

While there have been very few documented cases of Lyme disease in Oklahoma, diagnostic testing is often considered. This is a concise summary of the evidence regarding diagnostic tests for Lyme disease and how and when to use or not use them. James W. Mold, MD, MPH

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Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the US, occurring predominantly in the Northeast, the upper Midwest, and Northern California, with increasing incidence and geographic range.1 Lyme disease can cause a skin lesion at the site of the initial tick bite as well as disseminated disease, including neuropathy, meningitis, acute myocarditis/pericarditis (often with associated conduction abnormalities), and arthritis. Accurate diagnosis is the first step in the optimal management of Lyme disease.

Author/s:

Pitrak, D, Nguyen, C. T., Cifu, A. S.