A tick-borne virus that, if not caught early and treated, can be deadly may be spreading to New England, officials say.
The illness, known as alpha-gal syndrome, victimizes people who eat meat.
A recent case killed a JetBlue pilot from New Jersey after he ate a steak and, at a later meal, a hamburger.
“Maine clinicians may see cases of alpha gal syndrome as climate change facilitates range expansion of the Lone Star Tick further north along the coast,” according to research published by a medical doctor in the Journal of Maine Medical Center. “Clinicians should be alert to new symptoms of meat allergy in adults who were previously able to eat meat.”
The serum immunoglobulin E can be effective confirming suspected cases of the disease, MaineHealth physician Neil Korsen says in the journal piece.
The New York post on Thursday reported about a Virginia woman suffering from heart palpitations, painful hives and a poison-ivy-like rash whose symptoms were finally diagnosed as alpha-gal syndrome.
The New Jersey pilot earlier this month became a victim of the first-known fatal case of the obscure disease, brought on by a lone star tick bite.
The virus causes severe allergic reactions to people who eat beef, pork and lamb.
Alpha gal is a type of sugar found in most mammals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The syndrome bearing its name is typically triggered by tick bites, most often from lone star ticks, which transfer alpha-gal into a patient’s body and, in turn, triggers an immune-system response.
Although tracking is limited, it is estimated that more than 110,000 cases were identified between 2010 and 2022, the CDC said.
The actual number of cases is not known, but up to 450,000 people may be affected, according to the agency.
In 2023, two studies from the CDC referred to the syndrome as an “emerging public health concern.”
Symptoms can include hives or itchy rash, nausea or vomiting, heartburn or indigestion, diarrhea, shortness of breath and severe stomach pain.
The telltale symptoms can range from mild to severe and typically occur two to six hours after consuming products with alpha-gal.
The CDC says the best way to protect against it is to prevent tick bites. Lone star ticks, also known as northeastern water ticks, are indigenous to the eastern U.S., including southern Maine and New Hampshire, and southeastern U.S., according to Mayo Clinic.
They forgot to mention that this disease is a man made disease.