Tick borne disease creates meat allergy; raises need for reminders on tick bite prevention steps

"Up to 450,000 Americans may have been affected by a potentially life-threatening red meat allergy caused by ticks as many doctors remain unaware of what it is or how to treat it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In new reports released on Thursday, the CDC found that between 96,000 and 450,000 Americans since 2010 may have been affected by alpha-gal syndrome. The syndrome, also known as a red meat allergy or tick-bite meat allergy, stems from alpha-gal, a sugar molecule not naturally present in humans. Instead, it is found in meat including pork, beef, rabbit, lamb and venison, as well as products made from mammals including gelatin and milk products.

“Because the diagnosis of alpha-gal syndrome requires a positive diagnostic test and a clinical exam, and some individuals with alpha-gal syndrome may not get tested, it is estimated that as many as 450,000 people might have been affected by AGS in the United States,” the CDC said, adding. “Of those aware of AGS, knowledge about diagnosis and management is low.”

Continue reading at The Guardian (subscription maybe required) ->

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/27/tick-bite-red-meat-allergy-ags-cdc

Other news outlet's provide coverage as well

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/07/27/tick-red-meat-allergy/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/27/metro/lone-star-tick-meat-allergy/

Original report from CDC ->

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7230a2.htm

Franklin's Health Director Cathleen Liberty talks about ticks and insect borne diseases in this podcast ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/fm-271-franklin-health-director.html

From 2017 to 2021, there was an annual increase in positive AGS test results across the country, the CDC report said. Photograph: Jason Ondreicka/Alamy

Boston Globe: "Thanks to climate change, ticks and allergies are arriving earlier"

"Is that familiar allergic tickle in your throat showing up earlier in the spring? Does it seem like ticks are spreading across New England earlier, too? If so, it’s not just you — it’s climate change. 

Thanks to the quickly warming Gulf of Maine, the region is warming faster than the rest of the world. Since 1900, temperatures in metropolitan Boston have climbed by about 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit), while temperatures on the rest of the planet rose an average of 1.14 degrees Celsius. 

That means we’re seeing shorter winters, earlier blooms, and more pollen. In a study published last week in the journal Nature Communications, scientists from the University of Michigan examined 15 types of pollen from different plants found in the United States and found, in computer simulations, that pollen counts are increasing."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/03/22/science/thanks-climate-change-ticks-allergies-are-arriving-earlier/

Direct link to Study referenced => https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-28764-0

Boston Globe: "Thanks to climate change, ticks and allergies are arriving earlier"

CDC issues two new recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine process

Via CNN

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new recommendations on getting a Covid-19 vaccine for those with a history of allergies.

The recommendations, published on the CDC’s site on Saturday, suggest that people who have ever had a severe allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis, to any ingredient in a Covid-19 vaccine should not get that vaccine.

The CDC considers a reaction severe if it requires the person to be treated with epinephrine or they need to be hospitalized. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can include shortness of breath, a closing of the throat, nausea, and dizziness.

The agency added that people with a history of anaphylaxis to other vaccines or injectable medications should consult their doctor on getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

Continue reading the article online  https://t.co/wHrhfOHraU 

The CNN tweet:  https://t.co/I0jwJKSWYr

Via The Hill

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel recommended on Sunday that people 75 and older and certain front-line essential workers be next in line for COVID-19 vaccines.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 13-1 to advise the CDC to include those 75 and older and specific front-line essential workers, including emergency responders and teachers, in the next phase of coronavirus vaccinations, several news outlets reported Sunday.

These recommendations would apply to phase 1b of the vaccination process, after the committee and the CDC advised that health care workers and residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities get the first vaccinations in the country. Phase 1b will aim to vaccinate about 50 million people before the end of February, according to The New York Times.

Continue reading the article online

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/531072-cdc-panel-recommends-people-over-75-certain-frontline-essential-workers-be

 

Reminder: Seminar on Dealing with Children and Allergies

You're invited to learn what it takes to manage a child's food allergy and understand why certain policies are in place to help keep these students safe in school. 

You can even learn skills that can help make parties and play dates a safer and more inclusive experience for children with life

creating communities of support

threatening allergies. 

Whether you are a parent, teacher, family member, friend, or caregiver of a
child with food allergies, we hope you will join us! 

This is a FREE seminar and open to the public. 

Please reserve your seat at: www.bfccps.org/allergy. (see attached flyer) If you have any questions, feel free to contact the school nurses at 508-528-1945 or via email at nurse@bfccps.org

To be held at THE BLACK BOX Theater on Wednesday, Mar 18th at 7:00 PM

Creating Communities of Support

You're invited to learn what it takes to manage a child's food allergy and understand why certain policies are in place to help keep these students safe in school. You can even learn skills that can help make parties and play dates a safer and more inclusive experience for children with life 

creating communities of support

threatening allergies. 

Whether you are a parent, teacher, family member, friend, or caregiver of a
child with food allergies, we hope you will join us! 

This is a FREE seminar and open to the public. 

Please reserve your seat at: www.bfccps.org/allergy. (see attached flyer) If you have any questions, feel free to contact the school nurses at 508-528-1945 or via email at nurse@bfccps.org

To be held at THE BLACK BOX Theater on Wednesday, Mar 18th at 7:00 PM

Halloween Safety Tips and the Teal Pumpkin

With Halloween coning up on Friday, the MA. GOV blog has a timely posting on Halloween Safety Tips where they write in part:

You can help make everyone’s Halloween enjoyable by looking after children and establishing a safe environment, whether for costumed characters visiting your home or if your kids are out scaring up sweets.

• Halloween safety tips include accompanying children around the neighborhood and carrying a flashlight.

• Inspect all candy when trick-or-treating and throw away anything that was possibly opened or otherwise not in its original packaging.

• Ensure there is a clear path to your front door and that your lawn is well-lit to protect trick-or-treaters.

• Remind your child about street safety and to never enter a stranger’s home or get in their car.

Continue reading the article here
http://blog.mass.gov/blog/safety/halloween-safety-tips/

Halloween Safety Tips

One of the other measures to ensure a safe Halloween is to offer non-allergic choices to the trick or treaters. Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) is promoting the Teal Pumpkin Project:

This Halloween, FARE is encouraging communities to start a new tradition that will help make this holiday season less scary for children with food allergies: the Teal Pumpkin Project. This campaign encourages people to raise awareness of food allergies by providing non-food treats for trick-or-treaters and painting a pumpkin teal - the color of food allergy awareness - to place in front of their house along with a free printable sign from FARE to indicate they have non-food treats available.

The Teal Pumpkin Project page provides a variety of resources:

• Download FARE’s "Non-Food Treats Available Here" Poster
• Download FARE’s "We Have Candy and Non-Food Treats Here!" Poster
• Download a flyer about the Teal Pumpkin Project and share it to spread the word
• Download a sheet of stickers that say "I Support the Teal Pumpkin Project" (Print on Avery Template #8395)
• Questions and Answers About the Teal Pumpkin Project

Teal Pumpkin Project

The NBC video clip from Philly has a summary of the Teal Project:



Hat tip to Renata for sharing this video clip!