Determining the link between alpha-gal-containing antigens in North American ticks and red meat allergy

AbstractDevelopment of specific IgE antibodies to the oligosaccharide galactose-α-1, 3-galactose (α-gal) following tick bites has been shown to be the source of red meat allergy. In this study, we investigated the presence of α-gal in four tick species: the lone-star tick (Amblyomma americanum), the Gulf-Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), and the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) by using a combination of immunoproteome, carbohydrate analysis, and basophil activation approaches. Using anti-α-gal antibodies, α-gal was identified in the salivary glands of bothAm. americanumandIx. scapularis, whileAm. maculatumandDe. variabilisappeared to lack the sugar. PNGase F treatment confirmed the deglycosylation of N-linked α-gal-containing proteins in tick salivary glands. Immunolocalization of α-gal moieties to the salivary secretory vesicles of the salivary acini also confirmed the secretory nature of α-gal-containing antigens in ticks.Am. americanumticks were fed human blood (lacks α-gal) using an artificial membrane feeding system to determine the source of α-gal. N-linked glycan analysis revealed thatAm. americanumandIx. scapularishave α-gal in their saliva and salivary glands, butAm. maculatumcontains no detectable quantity. Salivary samples fromAm. americanumandIx. scapularisstimulated activation of basophils primed with plasma from α-gal allergic subjects. Together, our data support the idea that bites from certain tick species may specifically create a risk for the development of α-gal-specific IgE and hypersensitivity reactions in humans. Alpha-Gal syndrome challenges the current food allergy paradigm and broadens opportunities for future research.

Download Full-text

Alpha gal specific ige positivity due to tick bites and red meat allergy: the first case report in turkey

The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.24953/turkjped.2019.04.023 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 615 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Şennur Keleş ◽

Mehmet Gündüz

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Specific Ige ◽

Red Meat ◽

Tick Bites ◽

Meat Allergy ◽

First Case ◽

Red Meat Allergy

Download Full-text

Discovery of Alpha-Gal-Containing Antigens in North American Tick Species Believed to Induce Red Meat Allergy

Frontiers in Immunology ◽

10.3389/fimmu.2019.01056 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Gary Crispell ◽

Scott P. Commins ◽

Stephanie A. Archer-Hartman ◽

Shailesh Choudhary ◽

Guha Dharmarajan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North American ◽

Tick Species ◽

Red Meat ◽

Meat Allergy ◽

Red Meat Allergy

Download Full-text

575 Rapid changes in the red meat and α-Gal specific IgE-RAST level profile in the clinical course of a case with red meat allergy and Haemaphysalis longicornis bite

Journal of Investigative Dermatology ◽

10.1016/j.jid.2017.02.597 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 137 (5) ◽

pp. S99

Author(s):

M. Kondo ◽

K. Yamanaka ◽

H. Mizutani

Keyword(s):

Clinical Course ◽

Specific Ige ◽

Red Meat ◽

Haemaphysalis Longicornis ◽

Meat Allergy ◽

Red Meat Allergy ◽

Rapid Changes ◽

Level Profile

Download Full-text

Diagnosis of red meat allergy with antigen-specific IgE tests in serum

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology ◽

10.1016/j.jaci.2017.01.032 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 140 (2) ◽

pp. 608-610.e5 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Jonathan R. Brestoff ◽

Mark A. Zaydman ◽

Mitchell G. Scott ◽

Ann M. Gronowski

Keyword(s):

Specific Ige ◽

Red Meat ◽

Meat Allergy ◽

Red Meat Allergy

Download Full-text

The first reported cases of meat allergy following tick bites in the UK

JRSM Open ◽

10.1177/2054270421996131 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 205427042199613

Author(s):

Rhea A Bansal ◽

Sameer Bahal ◽

Rachael O’Brien ◽

Joanne Miller ◽

Amolak S Bansal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immunoglobulin E ◽

Specific Ige ◽

Red Meat ◽

Type I ◽

Tick Bites ◽

Meat Allergy ◽

Red Meat Allergy ◽

Delayed Reactions ◽

The Uk ◽

Red Meats

Allergic reactions frequently involve the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to proteins. However, reactions directed against carbohydrate moieties are increasingly being recognised. Tick bites can contribute to the development of immunoglobulin E to the galactose-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) moiety on tick salivary proteins. These IgE molecules can cross-react with alpha-gal found in red meats, causing Type I IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to these foods. We present three cases of delayed reactions to beef, pork and lamb in patients with prior tick bites and in the presence of a positive-specific IgE to alpha-gal. Patients were advised to avoid red meat consumption and to carry emergency treatment in the form of anti-histamines with or without adrenaline autoinjector devices. This is the first published report of red meat allergy caused by tick bites suffered in the UK.

Download Full-text

Delayed urticaria or anaphylaxis after consumption of red meat with evidence of alpha-gal sensitisation

BMJ Case Reports ◽

10.1136/bcr-2020-236923 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. e236923

Author(s):

Maria Beatriz Garcia ◽

Andres F Gomez-Samper ◽

Elizabeth Garcia ◽

Augusto Peñaranda

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Red Meat ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

Food Allergies ◽

Tick Bites ◽

Ige Antibodies ◽

Meat Allergy ◽

Red Meat Allergy ◽

History Of

Food allergies to red meat, specifically to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), a mammalian oligosaccharide, are considered to be very rare, especially in Asia and Latin America. Most of the cases reported are characterised by symptoms of delayed urticaria or anaphylaxis after the consumption of red meat. Sensitisation to red meat has been linked to the use of cetuximab or tick bites, especially from the Amblyomma americanum and Ixodes spp species. Here, we documented a case study from a Colombian male patient with symptoms of delayed urticaria and anaphylaxis with a history of tick bites in Colombia. The patient presented with IgE antibodies specific to alpha-gal, which is the most common epitope linked to red meat allergy induced by tick bites.

Download Full-text

Collaborating With Community Scientists Across Arkansas to Update Tick Distributions and Pathogen Prevalence of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia and Ehrlichia

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjab196 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ashley P G Dowling ◽

Sean G Young ◽

Kelly Loftin

Keyword(s):

Tick Species ◽

Spotted Fever ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

Spotted Fever Group ◽

Primary Role ◽

Prevalence Rates ◽

Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia ◽

Community Science ◽

Tick Distributions

Abstract Tick-borne diseases (TBD) in humans have dramatically increased over recent years and although the bulk of cases are attributable to Lyme Disease in the Northeastern US, TBDs like spotted fever rickettsiosis and ehrlichiosis heavily impact other parts of the country, namely the mid-south. Understanding tick and pathogen distributions and prevalence traditionally requires active surveillance, which quickly becomes logistically and financially unrealistic as the geographic area of focus increases. We report on a community science effort to survey ticks across Arkansas to obtain updated data on tick distributions and prevalence of human tick-borne disease-causing pathogens in the most commonly encountered ticks. During a 20-mo period, Arkansans submitted 9,002 ticks from 71 of the 75 counties in the state. Amblyomma americanum was the most common tick species received, accounting for 76% of total tick submissions. Nearly 6,000 samples were screened for spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) and Ehrlichia, resulting in general prevalence rates of 37.4 and 5.1%, respectively. In addition, 145 ticks (2.5%) were infected with both SFGR and Ehrlichia. Arkansas Department of Health reported 2,281 spotted fever and 380 ehrlichiosis cases during the same period as our tick collections. Since known SFGR vectors Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma maculatum were not the most common ticks submitted, nor did they have the highest prevalence rates of SFGR, it appears that other tick species play the primary role in infecting humans with SFGR. Our investigation demonstrated the utility of community science to efficiently and economically survey ticks and identify vector-borne disease risk in Arkansas.

Download Full-text