They wait for prey in low-lying shrubs before latching on to a viable, warm-blooded host. These parasitic creatures we call ticks can take days to finish feeding, secreting anesthetic chemicals that prevent the host from noticing its iron-gripped bite. All this slurping our fluids makes the tick a prime candidate to spread pathogenic viruses and bacteria. Unfortunately, playing host to ticks makes it easy to contract a variety of diseases.
Lyme disease is the most common form of tick-borne illness and is on the rise, with one study estimating 14 percent of the global population has had it and other data suggesting its incidence has doubled in the past 30 years. But data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published last week suggests a relatively new mysterious disease called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is also on the rise — and your doctor might not know how to treat or diagnose it.
