The strange effect of a particular tick bite has been in the news for a few years now. A bite from a Lone Star tick makes some people allergic to meat and sometimes dairy, a condition known as alpha-gal syndrome. Now the Atlantic reports that one segment of the population is particularly at risk: farmers. After all, they're often out in the tall grass caring for their animals and thus vulnerable to ticks. And now, more and more are facing the nightmare scenario of becoming allergic to their own livestock, writes Sarah Zhang. This goes beyond the consumption of meat: Some can't touch their cows or sheep and, dangerously, can't help with births because the animals' amniotic fluid triggers reactions. The same with manure and dander.
"There are no official numbers for how many farmers are afflicted with alpha-gal syndrome," writes Zhang. "But AGS has become prevalent enough, says Charles Green, Virginia's deputy commissioner of agriculture, that the state farm bureau's upcoming annual convention is offering an alpha-gal-safe meal option." In fact, Green himself has the condition, as does another ag commissioner Zhang spoke with in North Carolina. The severity of reactions varies from individual to individual, but multiple bites are believed to make the condition worse. Thus, a farmer may be at more risk than, say, a hiker who gets a single bite.
The Lone Star tick is most prevalent in the Southeast, but its range is spreading quickly. Last year, a Philadelphia Inquirer story documented cases in New Jersey, including that of a berry farmer who now has severe reactions to red meat, pork, and dairy. "Right now, medically, this is the worst thing I've ever dealt with," says Sam Moore. "Until you get it, you have no idea. It's forever changed my life, and it doesn't just affect you, it affects your entire family." (The CDC says the number of people affected in the US is likely vastly undercounted and may be at least 500,000.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
