Ticks

Managing alpha-gal syndrome can be hard for anyone, but for farmers who are in close contact with mammals — the allergy can be ruinous and, sometimes, life-threatening.

An increasing number of alpha-gal syndrome cases in Missouri means more people are looking for a mammal-free way to eat out. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith brings us the story of some restaurants in the southern part of the state that are adapting their menus.

More and more cases of alpha-gal syndrome are being diagnosed in Missouri, but because the condition does not have to be reported to the state, it’s hard to know just how common it truly is. And without an accurate count, it can be hard for funding and policy decisions to be made.

Often when Missourians receive an alpha-gal syndrome diagnosis, they don’t know where to start – beyond simply not eating red meat. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith reports on some in southern Missouri who are trying to help people adapt to their new diets.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 450,000 people in the US have alpha-gal syndrome - a tickborne allergy to red meat — while many others have never heard of the condition at all.

In July, University of Missouri Extension launched a new survey — asking Missourians what they know and don’t know about alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat and other mammalian products that’s contracted through the bite of the lone star tick.

New research from the University of Missouri is laying the groundwork for possible drugs to treat the tickborne disease ehrlichiosis, which is caused by bacteria transmitted through the bite of the lone star tick.

A new invasive tick species was recently found in St. Louis County, with more sightings expected this spring and summer.

You may have heard the ticks are bad this year due to the mild winter or ticks are getting worse in Missouri. But what’s the reality of these claims? KBIA’s Rebecca Smith has more on how climate change may be impacting the ticks – and the humans of Missouri.

Most tick-borne illnesses aren’t life-threatening or chronic – if caught early and treated. But ticks create an additional challenge for the unhoused community of Columbia.