Jennifer Moonsong/ WCLU News Director
Over the past decade, the lone star tick population has been increasingly growing in South Central Kentucky and northern Tennessee. Since that time there has been a drastic uptick of the alpha-gal syndrome.
For those who don’t know, alpha-gal syndrome, which is also known as the mammalian meat allergy, has been around since 2002 and it can masquerade as many other illnesses.
The condition results from past exposure to certain tick bites, with a wide range of symptoms that vary greatly between individuals and include rash, hives, nausea or vomiting, difficulty breathing, drop in blood pressure, dizziness or faintness, diarrhea, severe stomach pain, and possible anaphylaxis.
According to Heather Shaw, UK Cooperative Extension Area Nutrition Agent, there is so much to be learned by the public about alpha-gal.
“A lot of people still don’t know about it. There’s a lot of misinformation about it. Part of that is that the symptoms can do differ so much from person to person,” Shaw said.
Shaw will be the guest speaker and an alpha-gal information meeting to be held Tuesday, September 24, at 6:00 p.m. at the Hart County High School auditorium in Munfordville.
This event is free to the public. The auditorium is located at 1014 S. Dixie Highway. For more information about this event you may contact Sonya Carter, the Hart County Family and Consumer Science Agent at 270-524-2451.
