A previously rare allergy to a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, found in almost all mammals but humans, is now being spread by tick bites. But alpha-gal is also the sugar that is genetically engineered out of pigs that are being bred for xenotransplants. So there may be a secondary market for pork chops from those pigs...
‘We can no longer eat burgers or ice cream — all because of a tick bite’
A bug-borne disease has taken over Martha’s Vineyard and is turning people vegan, locals claim. by Samuel Lovett
"Sufferers cannot eat any food products that contains alpha-gal, a sugar molecule carried by the lone star tick and which is present in all mammals — except humans and some monkeys. This means cheeses, milk and meats from beef to venison are all off the menu. For some, even white sugar cannot be tolerated because it is processed using animal-bone char.
"Alpha-gal symptoms including hives, stomach cramps, vomiting and breathlessness often start to appear several hours after eating foods containing the molecule, giving the syndrome its nickname “the midnight allergy”.
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"Although the prevalence of alpha-gal syndrome on Martha’s Vineyard has rocketed in recent years, the island is “definitely not the worst off”, said Roden-Reynolds. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the Midwest has the highest rates per capita, and the agency estimates that about 450,000 people are living with the disease in the US."
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