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This topic is for discussing clues and potential answers to the Turkey Symbol in Epic Week 2024. Please stay on topic. Remember, these riddles are designed to be challenging and require a group of people brainstorming together; don't feel intimidated if you don't know the answer right away. Every little idea can help. Research is not cheating; it is expected!
Click here to visit the location of the Turkey Symbol
Click here to visit the location of the Turkey Symbol
I was right in the middle of lunch when a realization popped into my brain. 
Alpha-gal syndrome, spread by tick bites. Ugh.
Specifically the lone-star tick, I think, is the main driver.
Alpha-gal syndrome, spread by tick bites. Ugh.Specifically the lone-star tick, I think, is the main driver.
Congrats on solving this symbol! The answer was "Lone Star Tick".
For those of you wondering how this answer could be arrived at, here's a quick explanation.
A bite from a lone star tick transfers a small amount of Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) into your body. This is a type of sugar molecule that in some people, causes a reaction from their immune system that sensitizes them, causing the victim to have immune reactions to red meat and some other animal products for years or for life. This acquired allergy is called "alpha-gal" syndrome.
Alpha-gal is a weird type of food allergy in that while most common food allergies cause reactions within minutes, it takes 3-6 hours for the allergic reaction to start after the sufferer consumes meat. This can be pretty confusing if you don't know you have the syndrome.
Most meat allergies in the US are from Lone Star Tick bites, and because of climate change, the population of Lone Star Tick has been expanding northward with alarming speed.
On the upside, lone star ticks aren't known to carry Lyme disease, so that's something.
Lone Star Ticks are also sometimes called The Turkey Tick, which is where the symbol comes from.
For those of you wondering how this answer could be arrived at, here's a quick explanation.
A bite from a lone star tick transfers a small amount of Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) into your body. This is a type of sugar molecule that in some people, causes a reaction from their immune system that sensitizes them, causing the victim to have immune reactions to red meat and some other animal products for years or for life. This acquired allergy is called "alpha-gal" syndrome.
Alpha-gal is a weird type of food allergy in that while most common food allergies cause reactions within minutes, it takes 3-6 hours for the allergic reaction to start after the sufferer consumes meat. This can be pretty confusing if you don't know you have the syndrome.
Most meat allergies in the US are from Lone Star Tick bites, and because of climate change, the population of Lone Star Tick has been expanding northward with alarming speed.
On the upside, lone star ticks aren't known to carry Lyme disease, so that's something.
Lone Star Ticks are also sometimes called The Turkey Tick, which is where the symbol comes from.
I have a friend whose sister has to deal with this. Oof.
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