When Dee Nash started feeling sick, no one could figure out what was wrong. Doctors struggled to explain the hives, stomach pain and anaphylaxis that kept landing her in the emergency room.
It wasn't until years later, in 2023, that the Guthrie woman was finally diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome — a potentially life-threatening allergy to mammal products like red meat and dairy.
"If I had known earlier, I probably wouldn't have gotten it, and I wouldn't have been sick so many times," Nash said.
Once considered a rarity, alpha-gal syndrome is becoming more common in Oklahoma, where the tick that causes the illness has thrived. But the exact number of people with the syndrome is unknown because it has never been on the state's list of reportable diseases.
A new law signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt changes that.
Beginning in November, Oklahoma laboratories and doctors will be required to notify state health authorities of each positive test for a marker of the syndrome. A dozen other states have similar mandatory reporting requirements.
"This is the first step, getting doctors to give the information to the health department so that we have accurate numbers," Nash said.
Nash and other members of the national Alpha-gal Alliance Action Fund helped advocate for the law. For her, awareness made all the difference. After she was diagnosed, she stopped eating the foods that were making her sick and was prescribed medicine that helps her stay healthy.
Alpha-gal syndrome starts with a bite from a lone star tick, which can transfer trace amounts of the alpha-gal sugar molecule through its saliva. Since alpha-gal isn't naturally occurring in the human body, the immune system may create antibodies to fight against it. Later, if that person eats red meat or other mammal products containing alpha-gal, their immune system can overreact, triggering an allergic reaction.
It can be difficult to detect alpha-gal syndrome because the allergic reaction can come hours after exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates nearly half a million Americans are affected.
For farmers and ranchers who are in close contact with livestock every day, the allergy can be especially challenging. Some have decided to leave the industry altogether, forced to abandon a livelihood that served their families for generations.
"We have many hunters, farmers and outdoor workers who could experience alpha-gal in our state, and with its growing prevalence across the country, it is important we get an accurate picture of the numbers," said Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, who helped author the new law. "We also need to identify where cases are occurring in Oklahoma and position ourselves to access any available federal resources to help address it."
Nash was bitten in her garden in Guthrie. She has a gardening blog where she shares her experience and tells others how to protect themselves against ticks.
"It's really important to me to help other people who are also diagnosed, who don't have the resources I have," she said.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
