Not only various types of mosquitoes torment us and sometimes put our health in danger — arachnids are also out to get us. Ticks belong to this class. Now a possible consequence of tick bites has drawn attention, which, in contrast to TBE and Lyme disease, has hardly been noticed so far.
Blame the sudden spotlight on a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that more than 110,000 cases of suspected meat allergy, or so-called α‑gal syndrome (AGS), occurred in the U.S. between 2010 and 2022. All the more surprising, according to a survey by the CDC, 42% of health care workers there have never heard of this disease. Symptoms range from indigestion and diarrhea to potentially life-threatening allergic reactions. The culprit in the plight: The bite of the lone star tick.
In Germany: wood tick instead of lone star
Now, in Germany and in Europe as a whole, this particular tick species is not found — but unfortunately, this is no reason for us to relax on our walk in the woods. Ixodes species, including the native common wood tick (Ixodes ricinus), can also trigger the syndrome.
Nationwide, there have been about 100 cases so far — this is the estimate of the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation. An investigation by Munich’s Klinikum rechts der Isar even revealed a corresponding sensitization for about 35 percent of the forest workers and hunters examined.
What can we do? If you want to enjoy your steak safely in the future, you should take appropriate measures: Avoid areas where ticks predominate, cover the body sufficiently with clothing and use insect repellents. At home, it is essential to check your body to see if there is a tick anywhere.