Student Q&A: Why Landon Jackson is “Ticked Off”

Tickborne diseases, such as Lyme Disease, have had people reaching for bug spray for years. Then, last summer, news of another tick-related side effect began making headlines: bites from the lone star tick were found to trigger allergies to meat in some victims. Landon Jackson, a medical student at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, has been researching this phenomenon (known as Mammalian Meat Allergy) by looking at the carbohydrate molecule alpha-gal. His study, “Mammalian meat allergy following a tick bite: a case report,” was published in Oxford University Press’ Oxford Medical Case Reports in February 2018.

This isn’t the first time Jackson has published his research. The second-year medical student also wrote an article examining a pediatric trauma surgery case for Oxford University Press’ Journal of Surgical Case Reports in December 2016.

Jackson sat down with The Box to talk about his latest article and how his case study has the potential to help medical professionals make faster diagnoses and lead to better treatment.

What happens when someone is bitten by the lone star tick?
The lone star tick is found in the majority of the eastern states, and while this tick is responsible for multiple tick-borne illnesses, including the alpha-gal allergy, most bites do not lead to disease. The development of this allergy is still not completely understood, but if the bite is from a tick that recently bit another animal, it may transmit a carbohydrate to us that our bodies can develop antibodies against. These antibodies react with a carbohydrate found in mammalian meat food products and are responsible for the allergic reactions associated with this condition.

Can you describe your case study?
This case report describes a man who developed an allergy to mammalian meat food products in response to a tick bite. He had no previous history of allergies or asthma, and he began having spontaneous allergic reactions with no known trigger.

Once bitten, how long does it take to develop the allergy? And what is the experience for the patient?
Two to three weeks after the bite, the patient may begin to develop symptoms of anaphylaxis several hours after ingesting mammalian meat. These reactions are triggered by ingesting any food that has the alpha-gal carbohydrate in it. This includes not only mammalian meats such as pork and beef, but also dairy products, gelatin, and any drug that contains alpha-gal.

[Because] this condition doesn’t cause a reaction until three to four hours after ingesting mammalian meat, [in this case] the patient would often experience reactions in the middle of the night or during the day at work. The delayed nature of the allergic reactions often makes it difficult to identify the cause. The patient was diagnosed about four months after reporting symptoms, but the average amount of time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis is more than seven years. Interestingly, his allergy is only against mammalian meats. He still tolerates turkey, chicken, and fish, and has no symptoms when he avoids red meat.

Are there any tests in place to quickly identify if someone is having an allergic reaction because of the tick bite?
The allergy can be diagnosed by a simple blood test that measures the antibodies against the alpha-gal carbohydrate.

Why did you want to study this condition?
The alpha-gal allergy is rare, but the incidence of this condition is rapidly increasing. Currently, the average amount of time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis is about seven years. This allergy has proven its ability to elicit powerful anaphylactic reactions and such a delayed diagnosis is very dangerous.

Very few detailed case reports have been published about this condition, so my goal for publishing this article was to increase awareness of this allergy and to describe the patient’s symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Hopefully, by describing the clinical aspect of this condition, healthcare providers will know what to look for and how to manage a patient who may have alpha-gal allergy.

Why did you want to study osteopathic medicine?
Before medical school, I attended college at the University of Arkansas and majored in agriculture. I did not know that I wanted to go to medical school until my sophomore year when my niece was diagnosed with an extremely rare lung tumor. I spent spring break with her at Texas Children’s Hospital, where she eventually underwent a nine-hour long operation to remove her lung and take out the tumor. This experience inspired me to pursue medicine, so I took the pre-requisites for medical school and took the MCAT after my second year of college. I then graduated college after my junior year and started medical school in the fall.

Why did you choose NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University?
I am from Arkansas and I plan on practicing here in my home state. When visiting and interviewing with this school it was obvious that the administration and faculty here are truly passionate about seeing the quality and access to healthcare improve in Arkansas and in the Delta Region. I knew that this program was going to make an immeasurable impact on the healthcare in my state, and I did not want to miss an opportunity to be a part of such an organization.

This interview has been edited and condensed.