Farmer breaks out into hives around cows after contracting Alpha-gal syndrome from tick bite

Alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne illness that causes allergies to red meat and dairy, is a growing concern among farmers and ranchers across the United States.

What's happening?

According to KBIA, alpha-gal is affecting farmers like Sharon Pennington in north-central Missouri. She didn't know until she was tested for the illness that her symptoms were allergic reactions to her cattle.

"One cow calved, and she had too much milk," Pennington originally said to KBIA. "I was milking her and around all that fluid and just wondering, 'Why in the world am I going to pass out or die? I don't know what's going on with me?'"

Even when she wasn't around animals, she would experience anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can involve chest pains, hives, and other symptoms. She felt it once when her husband cooked bacon and another time after touching a cattle brush in her home. As Alpha Gal Information observed, airborne particles from food, dander, or cooking fumes can trigger alpha-gal symptoms.

Why is alpha-gal syndrome concerning?

An illness like this can force some people to stop pursuing their dreams.

"The idea of a person shuttering down a farm that's been in their family for generations because of this new diagnosis, I can only imagine what that really does feel like," said Shaun Cross, a researcher at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, per Harvest Public Media, via KCUR.

Cross helped create a tick testing program in Nebraska last year, according to a UNMC press release. He also worked on a study on farmers and ranchers with alpha-gal.

According to HPM, the study had 201 participants across 28 states. Unfortunately, 69% said they had to modify their work due to their illness, and 57% experience daily allergy symptoms.

Pennington herself has had to change how she works on Love Lake Iris Farm. She and her husband sold off all their nurse cows and weaned calves. While there's still a small herd for beef, Pennington focuses more on business and selling iris varieties.

Alpha-gal has taken a toll on many farmers' mental health as well. HPM stated that 64% of participants in Cross' study reported depression, and 85% reported anxiety.

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As temperatures rise, insects like the lone star tick, which carries alpha-gal, are becoming more common. With warmer days and milder winters, they can expand their range, leading to more people being infected following tick bites. Massachusetts state officials called ticks a public health crisis in December, and people are looking for solutions across the country.

What's being done about alpha-gal syndrome?

Awareness, education, and prevention are all key to stopping the spread of alpha-gal.

Missouri state Rep. Matthew Overcast has introduced legislation to raise awareness of alpha-gal and encourage reporting of alpha-gal to the state. His constituents have raised concerns, and three out of five of his children, as well as his wife, have been diagnosed with alpha-gal.

To avoid tick bites in the first place, the Cleveland Clinic has several suggestions. Wear long sleeves, especially in grassy areas, use bug spray containing DEET, picaridin, or permethrin, and check for ticks twice a day if you've been outdoors.

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