Association Between Lone Star Tick Bites and Increased Alpha-Gal Sensitization: Evidence from a Prospective Cohort of Outdoor Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Apperson CS ; Commins SP ; Lin F-C ; Meshnick SR ; Mitchell CL ; Vaughn M
• Description:
  Background: Alpha-gal is an oligosaccharide implicated in delayed anaphylaxis following red meat consumption. Exposure to tick bites has been correlated with development of an allergic response to alpha-gal. However, evidence prospectively linking exposure to a single tick species and an immune response to alpha-gal is lacking. Methods: We used serum samples from a prior study cohort of outdoor workers in North Carolina, USA, with high exposure to the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, to prospectively evaluate the relationship between tick bites and anti-alpha-gal IgE antibodies. Results: Individuals who reported exposure to one or more tick bites were significantly more likely to have a positive change in anti-alpha-gal IgE compared to individuals with no reported tick bites. This relationship was not dependent on time. A trend toward increasing number of tick bites and increased anti-alpha-gal IgE levels was observed but not statistically significant. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to prospectively link documented exposure to A. americanum bites and increased sensitization to alpha-gal in a cohort of outdoor workers. Our results support the role of A. americanum as likely agents for eliciting an allergic response to red meat, and highlight the importance of preventing tick bites. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cohort Studies Hypersensitivity Immune System Insecta Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Allergic Reactions Amblyomma Americanum Author Keywords: Alpha-gal Cohort Studies Disease Vectors Immune Reaction Immunologic Disorders Insects Outdoor Workers Red Meat Allergy Sensitization

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• ISSN:
  1756-3305
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  North Carolina ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  13
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060911
• Citation:
  Parasit Vectors 2020 Sep; 13:470
• Contact Point Address:
  Cedar L. Mitchell, Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
• Email:
  cedarmit@live.unc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20100901
• Source Full Name:
  Parasites & Vectors
• End Date:
  20150831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:01e405267b46b72db3f0ecd7b48f861ceae288c430104d9fab592050834fdc39f3060a4ba4f922c7005c06a9ab89952a754bf43514ccb472644545fe944a1d7a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224675/cdc_224675_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 973.41 KB ]