TBCUnited

06/02/2026

Sarah woke up in the middle of the night unable to breathe and covered in hives from head to toe.
The emergency room doctor called it a random reaction and sent her home. A week later, it happened again.
Two years. More than 30 doctor consults. More than $50,000 in medical bills. And still no answers.
Until the day someone finally connected her symptoms to a tick bite she did not even remember. Alpha-gal syndrome, a little-known allergy to mammalian ingredients triggered by a tick bite, had been behind every terrifying reaction all along.
Sarah's story is not rare. It is happening to patients right now who are sitting in waiting rooms with no diagnosis. TBC United exists to change that.
Learn more at tbcunited.org
Dr. Jennifer Platt, DrPH | TBC United

05/31/2026

So happy to be a part of this Food Allergy Research & Education initiative - from day one, we've advocated for collaboration with organizations across the tick-borne disease, alpha-gal, and food allergy spaces. We are STRONGER TOGETHER!

05/30/2026

Five things you need to know before heading outdoors this summer.
ONE. Do a daily tick check after every outdoor activity. Focus on all the soft areas.
TWO. Throw your clothes in the dryer after being outside. Ticks can survive a wash cycle, but heat kills them.
THREE. Use a multi-layer approach for extra protection. Protect yourself, your pets, and your property.
FOUR. Tick-proof your yard. Clear brush and leaves where ticks live. Use a property spray that kills AND repels.
FIVE. Remove a tick as soon as possible with sharp pointed tweezers. Grasp at the point of entry, pull steadily, save the tick, and apply antiseptic to the bite area.
Share this with someone heading outdoors. It could change everything.
Learn more at tbcunited.org✅✅✅
Dr. Jennifer Platt, DrPH | TBC United

05/29/2026

Great news from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

05/29/2026

Proud to be a part of this important work!

05/29/2026

Myth: You only need to worry about ticks in wooded or rural areas.
Fact: Ticks are found anywhere deer live, run, sleep, and feed. That includes suburban yards, parks, garden beds, and your own backyard.
This summer, millions of families will let their guard down because they are not going into the woods. They are just going outside. And ticks will be there.
Prevention does not stop at the trailhead. It starts at your back door.
Learn more at tbcunited.org
Dr. Jennifer Platt, DrPH | TBC United

05/27/2026

⏺ Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome. Two tick-borne diseases. Two very different levels of awareness.
⏺ Lyme disease is household knowledge. Everyone has heard the name. Doctors test for it. Public health campaigns target it.
⏺ Alpha-gal syndrome is the second most common tick-borne disease in America, and many people have never heard of it. Too few health professionals are aware of it. As a result, thousands of patients remain undiagnosed while unknowingly suffering from numerous symptoms.
⏺ This summer, know both. Share this with someone heading outdoors. The difference between diagnosis and years of suffering might be one conversation.
⏺ Learn more at tbcunited.org
Dr. Jennifer Platt, DrPH | TBC United

05/24/2026

Alpha-gal syndrome is a red meat allergy triggered by a bite from the lone star tick.

When the tick bites you, it injects a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into your bloodstream. Your immune system responds by producing antibodies. The next time you eat red meat or consume certain dairy products, those antibodies trigger an allergic reaction, sometimes hours after eating, which makes it nearly impossible to connect to what you ate.

Reactions range from hives and stomach pain to full anaphylaxis. Many patients go years without a diagnosis because their providers have never heard of it.

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. TBC United is here.

Learn more at tbcunited.org

Dr. Jennifer Platt, DrPH | TBC United

05/23/2026

Thanks Center for Lyme Action for all you do!

May is Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Month — and Congress has an opportunity to take meaningful action.

📢 Urge your Representative to support H.Res. 1279, recognizing May as National Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Month, and support swift passage of the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4348).

Millions of Americans are impacted by Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, including emerging threats like Alpha-gal syndrome, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Awareness, research, surveillance, diagnostics, prevention, and treatment investments matter.

Contact your Representative today through our letter campaign and ask them to stand with patients, families, and advocates nationwide.

https://app.oneclickpolitics.com/campaign-page?cid=3zEGnHGxc2Q7PqAknpvlE

05/20/2026

TICK TEST!
Myth: You will always see a bull's-eye rash after a tick bite.

Fact: Less than 50 percent of people with Lyme disease ever develop a rash, and when they do it does not always look like a bull's-eye.

This myth has delayed diagnosis for thousands of patients. If you were bitten by a tick and feel unwell, do not wait for a rash. Talk to your doctor.

Learn more at tbcunited.org

Dr. Jennifer Platt, DrPH | TBC United