Reviews of Science for Science Librarians: Alpha-Gal: The Curious Case of Ticks Whose Bite Induces Red Meat Allergies in Humans

A growing number of tick species have now been demonstrated to induce red meat allergies through biting humans. During the course of the bite, Galactose alpha-1,3-Galactose, commonly abbreviated as alpha-Gal, a carbohydrate not found in humans, but common in four-legged mammals, makes its way through to the bloodstream, triggering antibody production. Subsequent consumption of red meat by bite victims sets off a peculiarly delayed immunological reaction that may range from hives through to anaphylaxis. This paper documents the discovery of its linkage with tick bites. The spread of this syndrome worldwide warrants the attention of scientific and clinical librarians serving allergists, immunologists, dieticians, and entomologists. © 2019, Published with license by Taylor & Francis © 2019 Tony Stankus. © 2019, © 2019 Tony Stankus.