SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Tick-related interactions are on the rise, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting record-breaking tick-related ER visits for the first time since 2017 this July. Many in the Ozarks are navigating tick-borne diseases as well.
Natalie Moore got diagnosed with Alpha Gal Syndrome in May, a potentially life-threatening allergy and tick-borne disease produced in most mammals but not in humans. Tick saliva contains Alpha Gal and transfers to humans through tick bites.
“I had rashes all over my arms and my legs. They said it was contact dermatitis. They said strep at one point because of the way the rash felt,” said Moore. “I went to the ER multiple times, steroids after steroids, and it’s like nothing helped. Finally, this summer, I was just like, I need to figure this out before I ripped my skin off. It’s so bad.”…