Shishido Akira A, Wormser Gary P
Division of Infectious Diseases, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Division of Infectious Diseases, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA.
Open Forum Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 21;12(8):ofaf430. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofaf430. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is an emerging allergic disease caused by an immunoglobulin E (IgE) response to galactose-α-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), a sugar found in mammalian meat. The initial IgE sensitization follows a bite from the (lone star) tick in the United States, although other tick species can also cause the disease. AGS presents with delayed symptoms, primarily gastrointestinal or allergic reactions like urticaria or anaphylaxis, hours after mammalian meat consumption. The nonspecificity of the symptoms can delay the diagnosis of AGS for years. Diagnosis relies on clinical evaluation and detection of alpha-gal-specific IgE in blood. As the lone star tick's range is expanding beyond the southern United States, AGS is gaining recognition in other regions. However, many healthcare providers remain unaware of the condition, leading to misdiagnosis. Infectious diseases physicians who frequently evaluate patients with tick exposure must be familiar with AGS, including tick identification, bite prevention, and knowledge of the alpha-gal-containing vaccines.
α-半乳糖综合征（AGS）是一种新出现的过敏性疾病，由免疫球蛋白E（IgE）对半乳糖-α-1,3-半乳糖（α-半乳糖）产生反应所致，α-半乳糖是一种存在于哺乳动物肉类中的糖类。在美国，最初的IgE致敏发生在被孤星蜱叮咬之后，不过其他蜱类也可引发该病。食用哺乳动物肉类数小时后，AGS会出现延迟症状，主要是胃肠道症状或诸如荨麻疹或过敏反应等过敏反应。症状的非特异性可能会使AGS的诊断延误数年。诊断依赖于临床评估以及血液中α-半乳糖特异性IgE的检测。随着孤星蜱的活动范围扩展至美国南部以外地区，AGS在其他地区也越来越受到关注。然而，许多医疗服务提供者仍不了解这种疾病，从而导致误诊。经常诊治蜱虫叮咬患者的传染病科医生必须熟悉AGS，包括蜱虫识别、叮咬预防以及含α-半乳糖疫苗的相关知识。
