ACG: Incidence of Alpha-Gal Syndrome Increasing

TUESDAY, Nov. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), typically linked to bites from the lone star tick, increased considerably from 2013-2014 to 2021-2022, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, held from Oct. 24 to 29 in Phoenix.Vinay Jahagirdar, M.D., from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, and colleagues used data from the TriNetX U.S. Collaborative Network from 2010 to 2024 to examine the cases of more than 3,800 adults tested for antibodies produced in response to AGS.The researchers observed an increase in positive test results for AGS, with 749 patients diagnosed. The incidence increased across 69 U.S. health systems, from about 1.8 percent in 2013 to 2014 to 38.5 percent in 2021 to 2022, reflecting increased awareness among doctors and an increase in tick bites. In 17 percent of cases, Lyme disease was observed, suggesting an overlapping risk from tick exposure. Joint disorders, high cholesterol, food allergies, vitamin D deficiency, and asthma were also common comorbidities seen among patients with AGS. Most of the cases were reported in the Northeast and South (69 and 23 percent, respectively)."Alpha-gal syndrome has gone from a medical curiosity to a major public health issue in just a decade," Jahagirdar said in a statement. "Our study shows this is not a localized problem anymore. We're seeing cases far beyond the Southeast, including in the Northeast and Midwest."AbstractMore Information.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

ACG: Incidence of Alpha-Gal Syndrome Increasing

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