Cases of a life-threatening allergy caused by a certain kind of tick bite are rising in Illinois as ticks expand their reach in the Midwest — and a second wave of tick season could soon be coming.
According to Chris Stone, a medical entomologist with the University of Illinois, the state is seeing “an increasing number of cases of alpha-gal syndrome.”
Alpha-gal syndrome is a life-threatening allergy to meat triggered by tick bites.
The problem was first linked to a particular species of ticks about 15 years ago. But cases are on the rise as more people report symptoms such as hives, diarrhea and itchiness after eating as little as a mouthful of meat and — in some cases — dairy.
And they aren’t just rising in Illinois.
While experts point to an increase in awareness on the condition, rising cases also reflect the expanding habitat range of the lone star tick, the primary source of the condition in the U.S.
Stone noted that different tick species are “still expanding their range and we’re seeing steady increases in tick-borne diseases.”
“Really every year is now a bad tick year,” Stone said.
That was echoed by public health experts in Kane County during a July board meeting.
“With changes in temperatures and climate and things we are seeing a dramatic change in the types of ticks and how many ticks we have in the area,” said Michael Isaacson, executive director of the Kane County Health Department. “Not just that this is an especially bad season, but as these different ticks come up from the south so that is troubling that diseases that maybe we wouldn’t have seen here or maybe we only would have seen if someone was traveling… that may become endemic here.”
What to know about alpha-gal syndrome
Unlike other tick-borne illnesses, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, alpha-gal syndrome isn’t caused by a bacteria or a virus. Instead, it occurs when the human immune system triggers an allergic response to a type of sugar, known as alpha-gal.
Alpha-gal is found in the meat of most mammals, but not in humans or other primates. It’s also found in the saliva of certain ticks.
When eaten, the sugar is normally harmless. But when ticks bite through the skin, they can introduce the sugar directly into the bloodstream. That triggers the development of antibodies — immune system proteins that fight off foreign invaders — that quickly learn to identify and attack alpha-gal sugar molecules.
“It turns out that the skin is a fantastic way to make an allergic response,” said Dr. Scott Commins, an alpha-gal syndrome researcher at the University of North Carolina. “If this all happened orally, and we were eating alpha-gal like we do with steaks or barbecue, then we wouldn’t become allergic.”
People that develop the antibodies will often experience a strong allergic reaction a few hours after consuming meat or dairy. But it can take weeks or months for the problem to develop, with the severity of symptoms often increasing over time.
The allergy doesn’t impact consumption of seafood or poultry. Chicken, turkey and eggs are all OK to eat.
What are the symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome?
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, symptoms usually appear two to six hours after eating meat or dairy products, but can vary by person, ranging from mild to severe.
“And some may be life-threatening,” IDPH reports.
The symptoms include:
Hives or an itchy rash Nausea or vomiting Severe stomach pain Heartburn or indigestion Diarrhea Cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing Drop in blood pressure Swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eyelids Dizziness or faintnessIs is treatable?
For years, the standard treatment has involved avoiding foods that come from cows, pigs and lambs while carrying an epinephrine injector in case of medical emergency. But regulators recently approved the first drug for the condition, and more therapies may be on the way.
What is a lone star tick?
Often identifiable by a white dot on its back, the lone star tick is most common in the eastern and southern U.S. But in recent years it’s been reported in new parts of the country, including the Great Lakes region and as far north as Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
What else to know about ticks in Illinois
In Illinois, there are over 15 tick species, according to Julie Wiegel, assistant director of environmental health for Kane County.
Still, Stone said in Illinois, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on emergency visits due to tick bites show comparable numbers to recent years, though the data is only available through April so far.
While the peak of the season has arrived, according to Stone, another type of tick could see a resurgence for the fall — the blacklegged tick.
“Females will become active again this fall,” Stone said.
According to collections from Illinois so far this season, the highest densities of the lone star tick sit in the southern and western parts of Illinois, while northern Illinois sees higher rates of the blacklegged tick. There are also reports of the American dog tick and Gulf Coast tick in southern Illinois.
In a recent World Atlas report of state parks with the highest rate of tick-borne illnesses in the U.S., two Illinois state parks were on the list.
Starved Rock State Park and Mississippi Palisades State Park, both of which were noted for high blacklegged tick populations.
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