Why are tick-borne food allergies becoming more prevalent in Kentucky

By Greg Davis

Published September 10, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT

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This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a female Lone Star tick, which despite its Texas-sounding name, is found mainly in the Southeast. At least 100,000 people in the U.S. have become allergic to red meat since 2010 because of a weird syndrome triggered by tick bites. That's according to a new government report. But health officials believe more have the problem and don’t know it, and the actual number is more than than four times higher. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, July 27, 2023 released two reports on the growing tick-borne allergy problem. (James Gathany/CDC via AP)

Perhaps you've heard lately in the news about something called alpha gal red meat allergy. Dr. Greg talks with Dr. Heather Norman Bergdorf, associate extension professor in the UK College of Culture, Food, and Environment about Alpha-gal syndrome.

Here are some helpful show links:

https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef656

https://hr.uky.edu/summer-safety-prevention-tick-related-illnesses

https://dhn.ca.uky.edu/directory/heather-norman-burgdolf

Dr. Greg Davis on Medicine

Greg Davis

Dr. Greg Davis is a forensic pathologist with UK HealthCare. Every week, Davis speaks with local health providers, professionals, and researchers on Dr. Greg Davis on Medicine.

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