What is alpha-gal syndrome? The disease which makes people allergic to red meat and dairy

A rare and deadly disease is on the rise in the United States, and doctors now believe it was behind at least three deaths.

A minimum of 450,000 people in the US have contracted the rare alpha-gal syndrome – and cases are increasing more each year.

People with alpha-gal syndrome can experience symptoms including hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, severe stomach pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness and swelling of the lips, throat, tongue or eyelids.

AGS is caused by a bite from the Lone Star tick, which carries a sugar molecule called alpha-gal in its saliva.

The same sugar molecule is found in red meat, and it can cause an allergic reaction in people who have been bitten by the tick.

Now, researchers believe that alpha-gal syndrome could be behind three unexplained deaths within the past three years, raising alarm bells for the hard-to-diagnose disease.

Sudden deaths from deadly allergens

Late last year, a pilot died in the first documented death from alpha-gal syndrome after eating red meat. The pilot’s death was discussed in a case report published this week in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

While home in New Jersey, he went to a barbecue, where he ate a hamburger. About four hours later, he became ill and a short time after that, his son found him unconscious on the bathroom floor.

The son called paramedics, but the man was declared dead that night at a hospital. The researchers said blood tests revealed evidence of alpha-gal syndrome.

The man isn’t the only death recorded in relation to alpha-gal. A teenager in Australia dropped dead on a camping trip after eating sausages.

A 70-year-old woman in Kansas died after heart surgery, despite doctors trying to avoid any allergic reactions.

Surgeons often use heart tissue from cows or pigs when replacing heart valves, but doctors gave Mindy Dyke one from a deceased donor to limit her allergic reaction – she still died.

Her death certificate listed anaphylactic shock and alpha-gal syndrome among the causes of death.

One theory is that she had an allergic reaction to a blood thinner administered during cardiac procedures, which is typically derived from pig intestines. Researchers say this might explain why people with alpha-gal syndrome experience a higher incidence of allergic reactions during heart surgery, the New York Times found.

Even those living carefully with alpha-gal aren’t out of danger just by changing their diets.

Dana Casale told the New York Times she healed slowly after a difficult childbirth – something she thinks is because doctors used sutures to sew her up internally that were made from cow and sheep intestine.

Why are cases increasing?

The number of cases of alpha-gal syndrome is growing for a variety of reasons, according to experts, including the Lone Star tick’s expanding range, more people coming into contact with the ticks and more doctors learning about it and ordering tests for it.

It can take weeks or longer for infected people to develop the syndrome, which is named for the alpha-gal carbohydrate found in the tick’s saliva.

Some patients have only stomach symptoms, and the American Gastroenterological Association has advised that people with unexplained diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal pain should be tested for the syndrome.

Dr Johanna Salzer, the author of multiple studies on alpha-gal syndrome, said many remain undiagnosed due to ‘non-specific and inconsistent symptoms, challenges seeking healthcare, and lack of clinician awareness.’

Additionally, many American doctors may not even know to look for alpha-gal syndrome when treating patients.

Is there a cure for alpha-gal syndrome?

There is no cure for alpha-gal syndrome, but there are ways to manage the condition.

People with alpha-gal syndrome should avoid eating red meat and be aware of the potential for cross-contact with red meat products.

According to the CDC, alpha-gal is found in meats like pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, and venison. It is also found in gelatin, cow’s milk, and other dairy products.

Cross-contact can occur when red meat comes into contact with other foods, such as processed meats, cheese, or even cosmetics.

In 2023, the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) called the rise in diagnoses of alpha-gal syndrome an ’emerging public health problem.’

Are there any cases of Alpha-gal in the UK?

Yes, but not as many as in the United States.

The figures of those with confirmed alpha-gal syndrome in the UK are thought to be in the low thousands, but that may be an undercount, because most people are only diagnosed after showing extreme symptoms, The Times reported.

A study in April 2025 found that the condition was first reported in the United Kingdom in 2019, caused by foreign ticks which travelled home with residents.

In the years since, case numbers have risen slowly, with fears that warmer weather could increase them. The warmer the weather, the more ticks thrive – meaning the disease could spread faster.

Lorraine MacLeod, 61, told The Times was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome last year, after being bitten by a tick while walking her dog in the Scottish Highlands.

Metro contacted UKHSA for the exact figures of how many people in the UK have contracted the disease, but they declined to give them.

Dr Claire Gordon, Head of the Rare and Imported Pathogen Laboratory Clinical Services at UKHSA, told Metro: ‘Alpha-gal syndrome is a rare but potentially serious allergy to a substance found in meat and some animal products, which develops after a person is bitten by certain types of tick.

‘While there have been a very small number of cases detected, Alpha-gal syndrome is exceptionally rare in the UK due to the fact that the majority of cases are caused by the Lone Star tick, which is confined to North America.

‘It is not an infection and is not notifiable to UKHSA. It is not transmitted between humans or animals. It is therefore important that suspected cases are referred to an allergy specialist for testing and consultation.’

Last year, the UKHSA published guidance for the first time on alpha-gal, and said areas such as the New Forest, Exmoor, Dartmoor, Thetford and Cumbria could be potential hotspots for the condition.

Currently, only two locations in the UK offer testing for alpha-gal syndrome – the UK allergy clinic and the London Hospital Doctors Laboratory.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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