May is Alpha-Gal Awareness Month in Virginia, and with tick season in full swing, awareness of this tick-borne disease is more important than ever.
According to the CDC, Alpha-Gal Syndrome, which results from an allergen to the sugar Alpha-Gal, is particularly prevalent in ticks in Southwest Virginia and throughout Appalachia.
As tick season continues, health officials are emphasizing the importance of prevention against Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS).
Alpha-gal, a molecule found in most mammals and mammal-based products, becomes problematic when introduced to humans through Lone Star tick bites.
The resulting condition creates an allergy to products containing alpha-gal, ranging from foods to medicines and cosmetics.
Unlike typical allergies, AGS reactions can take up to six hours to develop, contributing to what experts believe has led to underdiagnosis of the condition.
“Virginia is a very high prevalent state, in fact, alpha-gal syndrome discovered and named here,” said Debbie Nichols, co-founder of Two Alpha-Gals and The Alpha-Gal Foundation.
The syndrome can dramatically alter someone’s life.
“What it does is it triggers an allergic reaction to anything that contains this Alpha-gal sugar, which includes not just mammal meat, but also mammal byproducts,” Nichols said.
With warming weather increasing tick activity, the risk continues to grow.
“They really are very much everywhere,” Nichols said.
Nichols and Candice Matthis, both co-founders Two Alpha Gals and The Alpha-Gal Foundation experienced lengthy delays in diagnosis.
“It wasn’t until 2019 that I actually got tested and I tested positive for alpha-Gal Syndrome,” Nichols said. “I had been sick probably from 2008—2009 in there, and I would have all these strange symptoms.”
Matthis shared her experience:
“My journey started in 2007. I was bitten by a tick in Floyd,” she said. “But in 2018 I was rebitten by something I never saw.”
The allergic reactions can come through things many people would never realize until it’s too late.
“I became anaphylactic overnight after taking 11-12 supplements the day before that,” Nichols said.
Symptoms vary widely, from gastrointestinal issues, fatigue and anaphylaxis.
“I woke up at 5 a.m. to the room spinning, seeing double, my heart racing, feeling like I was about to pass out,” Matthis recalled.
During Alpha-gal Awareness Month, experts emphasize the importance of checking for ticks after outdoor activities.
To learn more about AGS and how to protect yourself, click here for The Alpha-Gal Foundation and here for more information on the tickborne disease.