Public awareness of alpha-gal syndrome and tick bite prevention practices, United States, Fall 2023

Abstract

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a unique non-infectious tickborne disease that can develop after a tick bite. AGS can cause severe allergic symptoms (when patients are exposed to alpha-gal) and be challenging for patients to manage because alpha-gal is found in mammalian meat, dairy, and some non-food products. We sought to understand public awareness of AGS, especially relative to other tickborne diseases. We used a 2023 nationally representative survey of adults to investigate public awareness of AGS in the United States and found that knowledge was very low, with 70% of respondents having no prior knowledge of AGS. Respondents with prior AGS knowledge were more concerned about both AGS and infectious tickborne diseases, including Lyme disease, than those without prior AGS knowledge. This study suggests that improving public awareness of AGS could encourage individuals to try to prevent tick bites.