"Where's the Beef?": Alpha-Gal Syndrome Identification and Risk Management in the Perioperative Setting (1 Class A CE with .5 Pharm)

First reported in 2002, Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) is a tick-borne illness endemic to the Southeastern United States that can result in a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to mammalian meat consumption. Although more than 110,000 cases have been detected in the United States since 2010, the condition remains largely mis- and underdiagnosed, with as many as 15-30% of Americans affected in endemic tick regions. Many common medications and healthcare products contain mammalian-derived components, contributing to major patient safety events in this population as evidenced in published case studies. Despite a growing literature describing AGS immunogenicity, most healthcare providers have limited knowledge of the disease or possible iatrogenic triggers, and anesthesia practice guidelines are subsequently lacking. This presentation will equip the anesthesia provider with the knowledge of how AGS is transmitted and pathologized, how to suspect undiagnosed AGS in patients, how to identify possible AGS triggers in the perioperative environment, and how to develop a safe anesthetic plan for this patient population.