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										At the 2021 annual meeting, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) approved a position statement standardizing a case definition for alpha-gal syndrome (AGS).
The case definition is for surveillance purposes only and does not replace a clinical diagnosis by a healthcare provider.
A standard surveillance case definition provides consistent laboratory and clinical criteria to ensure that data captured across multiple jurisdictions are comparable.
AGS is not a nationally notifiable condition.
States and local jurisdictions are encouraged, but not required to share information on AGS with members of CDC’s Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch to better understand national trends.**Surveillance case definition [PDF – 12 pages]**
**Alpha-gal Syndrome Case Report Form [PDF – 2 pages]**
Alpha-gal testing
The main diagnostic test for AGS is a blood test looking for immunoglobulin-E antibodies specific to alpha-gal (alpha-gal sIgE).
Tests for alpha-gal sIgE antibodies are available at several large commercial laboratories and may be available at certain academic institutions.
LOINC Code: 73837-7 Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (Alpha-Gal) IgE Ab [Units/volume] in Serum.
Skin tests documenting reaction to certain allergens (such as pork or beef) may also be used to diagnose AGS.
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  April 18, 2022						Source: 	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD)
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