Alpha-gal syndrome: LI county a hot spot for tick-borne meat allergyBy Marc Lallanilla
August 21, 2023
A disease so unusual that many doctors can’t diagnose it has emerged as a serious threat — and Long Island’s Suffolk County is the nation’s epicenter.
Alpha-gal syndrome, sometimes called AGS, is spread by bites from the lone star tick. It causes people to have a violent reaction to red meat and dairy and about 4% of US cases are found in Suffolk County, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making eastern Long Island the country’s hot spot.
“We have to sound the alarm out here,” Kathy Agoglia, who lives in Laurel, told the Suffolk Times. “It’s here, it’s serious, and the numbers are very, very concerning.”
Agoglia, a dentist, has personal experience with AGS: Last month, after having meat for dinner, she began to develop symptoms.
“An hour or so later I broke out in an itchy rash,” she said. “I was suspicious, as I know a little bit about ticks. And a month or so earlier I had been bitten by a lone star tick.”
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Source:
https://nypost.com/2023/08/21/alpha-gal-syndrome-alert-warning-signs-for-tick-borne-meat-allergy/
