There's
still a lot to learn about the alpha-gal allergy. Alpha gal is a sugar
that animals — including cows, pigs and lamb — make in their bodies. 'As
humans, we don't make this alpha gal sugar,' Commins explains. 'We all
make an immune response to it.' So, how does a tick bite cause the
allergy? It's possible that ticks inject humans with alpha gal
when they bite. The ticks likely get it from feeding off wild animals,
such as mice or squirrels, that also carry alpha gal. Or it's possible
that ticks activate the response in another way."
If you are bitten by a Lone Star tick, you could develop an unusual allergy…