State Rep. Ed Butler, R-Rickman, has introduced House Bill 383, which would add alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) to the list of diseases and conditions that health care providers are required to report to the Tennessee Department of Health.” AGS is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can develop after a tick bite. The condition is […]
State Rep. Ed Butler, R-Rickman, has introduced House Bill 383, which would add alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) to the list of diseases and conditions that health care providers are required to report to the Tennessee Department of Health.”
AGS is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can develop after a tick bite. The condition is named for a sugar molecule, galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, found in most mammals. Symptoms occur when individuals eat red meat or are exposed to other mammal-derived products. AGS is also known as red meat allergy or tick-bite meat allergy.
“Many Tennesseans are unaware that a simple tick bite can lead to a life-threatening allergy,” Butler said. “By requiring health care providers to report cases of alpha-gal syndrome, we’re equipping doctors, patients, and the Department of Health with the tools they need to better manage and respond to this growing health challenge.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 110,000 suspected cases of AGS in the United States between 2010-22. The actual number is believed to be higher because AGS is not a nationally recognized reportable condition.