ANAHEIM, California — Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is commonly described as an allergy to red meat, but that is "just the beginning," allergist and immunologist Scott P. Commins, MD, PhD, told attendees on the opening day of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) 2023 Annual Meeting.
Commins, associate chief for allergy and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has made alpha-gal, a potentially fatal allergy, which, in the United States is tied to the bite of the Lone Star tick, his primary research focus.
Beyond red meat, "there are some people who are allergic to all things mammal," he explained. Dairy products from mammals, medical devices made from mammalian products, vaccines and medicines that contain gelatin, and even commercial products such as perfumes and cosmetics may be behind an AGS reaction.
"The derived products from pigs and cows really find their way into a lot of our day-to-day products," he said. "I try to keep an open mind about these exposures."
Physicians should also be aware that "this can happen to kids," said Commins. "It looks very similar to adults' [AGS]. They can end up in the emergency department."
