Virginia’s General Assembly has unanimously passed a bill to make alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) reportable to the CDC. It now goes to the governor to be signed into law.

AGS, triggered by the bite of a lone star tick, can make a person highly allergic to red meat and meat-related products.

According to advocates who worked to get this bill passed, Virginia is an AGS hotspot. Over 20% of residents in some areas of the state have the allergic antibodies (IgE) to alpha-gal associated with AGS, and up to 9% of these individuals may have full-blown AGS.

A recent study found that more than 2% of a cohort from central Virginia had AGS. Other estimates suggest that up to 3% of people in the hardest hit areas may be affected.

SOURCE: alphagalinformation.org