Alpha Gal Risk Factor Assessment of Ticks in Southwest Virginia.

SOUTHWEST Virginia; UNITED States

Alpha gal syndrome is an emerging tick-borne illness caused by the carbohydrate Galactose-a-1,3-galactose which is known to cause red meat and dairy allergies in humans. The severity of alpha gal syndrome may vary between cases, ranging from mild rashes to anaphylactic shock upon exposure to an allergen. Currently, alpha gal is known to be conveyed by Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum species in the United States, though the transmission mechanisms are currently unknown. The recently invasive Haemaphysalis longicornis is also a potential risk for conveyance since evidence from other countries has indicated the species can transmit alpha gal. My research has focused on assessing the risk of alpha gal exposure in various locations across southwest Virginia by analyzing the known carrier species. I hypothesized that southwest Virginia is at high risk of alpha gal exposure due to the high density of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum species. Adult and nymph ticks were collected across various locations using the flagging method, which utilizes a piece of white cloth attached to a pole that can be dragged through grass, leaves, and shrubbery. All collected ticks are stored in ethanol. Across these locations, a total of 1,778 ticks were collected in the year 2022, of which 859, or 48% of the ticks were one of the two known species to convey alpha gal. Additionally, 860 of the ticks were Haemaphysalis sp which may also present a risk of alpha gal transmission if confirmed to carry alpha gal in the United States. Southwest Virginia is at a high risk for alpha gal syndrome from tick bites due to almost half of the tick species being known as potential conveyers of the disease and similarly large portion of the species displaying alpha gal globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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