Press release
NEW ORLEANS, LA. – The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) has received the first-ever federal grant to improve awareness and knowledge of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) and to improve health outcomes for those living and working with AGS in the United States.
AGS is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergy and tickborne disease affecting as many as 450,000 people in the US. Alpha-gal is a molecule (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) that is naturally produced in the bodies of most mammals but not in people. It is also found in the saliva (spit) of some ticks. In the US, the lone star tick is most associated with AGS.
According to CDC, when a tick bites, it can transfer alpha-gal from its saliva into a person’s blood. The body’s natural defenses, or immune system, can identify alpha-gal as a threat and trigger an allergic reaction. Symptoms occur after people eat red meat or are exposed to other products made from mammals. Because of this, AGS is also known as red meat allergy or tick bite meat allergy.
With changing weather patterns and increasing deer populations, the lone star tick population is expanding northward and westward in the country. In addition, more frequent human interaction in wooded areas, the persistent underdiagnosis of AGS, and limited understanding of the syndrome’s true burden contribute to the growing public health concern of AGS.
The emergence of AGS across the country highlights the importance of monitoring vector-borne diseases in both rural and suburban areas. Epidemiologists are particularly concerned about underreporting, as many patients and clinicians remain unaware of the condition, leading to misdiagnoses or delayed care. Increased awareness campaigns, better surveillance, and clinician education are essential to understanding the true burden of AGS across the country.
NNPHI plans to close those gaps by bringing experts together. Over the next five years, NNPHI will convene AGS professionals and maintain a community of practice for stakeholders, including public health agencies, academic researchers, and advocacy groups, to improve patient care for AGS and the public health response.
“As the geographic range of the lone star tick expands, there is an urgent need to strengthen prevention, improve recognition of the condition, and build a more coordinated public health response,” said Diana Hamer, PhD, senior director of environmental health and emergency preparedness at NNPHI and the project’s principal investigator. “By leveraging our national network and cross-sector partnerships, NNPHI can help strengthen the systems, knowledge, and relationships needed to respond to AGS.”