Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, a member of Mass General Brigham, has begun recruiting participants for a research study designed to better understand alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a potentially serious allergic condition associated with lone star tick exposure. Researchers will follow up to 300 participants over two years to examine how often AGS develops after tick bites, which factors may increase risk, how the immune system changes over time and how the condition affects patients’ daily lives and health care use.
The study will enroll Martha’s Vineyard residents age 15 and older who live on the island for at least three months each year, including pregnant individuals. Participants will complete an initial visit and periodic follow-up visits that include medical history reviews, blood testing and other assessments.
Led by Mass General Brigham infectious disease expert Jacob Lemieux, MD, PhD and Ellen McMahon, MD, Chief of Medicine and Ambulatory Medical Director for Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the study seeks to answer several key questions: who develops alpha-gal syndrome after lone star tick exposure, who becomes sensitized without developing symptoms, and what biological or demographic factors may influence risk. Researchers also hope to identify immune, inflammatory and other markers that could help predict who is most likely to develop the condition.
“Alpha-gal syndrome is an emerging health concern in our region, but there are still many unanswered questions about why some people develop the condition after a tick bite while others do not,” said Lemieux. “By following participants over time, we hope to better understand the biological and environmental factors that influence risk and generate information that can help guide future diagnosis, prevention and patient care.”
Alpha-gal syndrome is an allergic condition linked to a sugar molecule found in mammals. In some people, exposure to lone star tick saliva can trigger an immune response that later causes allergic reactions after consuming red meat or other mammalian products. Symptoms can include hives, gastrointestinal distress, breathing difficulties and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis. Unlike many food allergies, reactions often occur several hours after eating, which can make diagnosis difficult.
“One of the challenges of alpha-gal syndrome is that symptoms can be delayed and vary widely from person to person, making the condition difficult to recognize and diagnose,” added McMahon. “This study will help us better understand the patient experience, identify potential warning signs and improve our ability to support individuals and families who may be affected by this increasingly important health issue.”
The study comes at a time of growing concern about alpha-gal syndrome on Martha’s Vineyard, with hospital data showing a significant increase in alpha-gal testing over recent years, while local clinicians and biologists have observed growing numbers of lone star ticks and increasing concern about tick-related illnesses. The island’s wildlife population, seasonal population shifts and outdoor environment make it a useful setting to study the condition.
The research team hopes findings from the study will improve understanding of alpha-gal syndrome both locally and beyond Martha’s Vineyard. Investigators aim to develop tools that could help clinicians identify patients at greatest risk after a tick exposure and inform future research into prevention, diagnosis and treatment approaches.
“Martha's Vineyard is uniquely positioned to contribute to our understanding of alpha-gal syndrome because clinicians here are seeing firsthand how tick-related health concerns are evolving in our community,” said Claire Seguin, DNP, President and COO, Martha's Vineyard Hospital. “This research reflects our commitment to bringing high-quality clinical research to the island and partnering with Mass General Brigham to generate knowledge that can benefit patients both locally and far beyond Martha's Vineyard.”
About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system, uniting great minds to solve the hardest problems in medicine for our communities and the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a nonprofit organization committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations with several Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals. For more information, please visit massgeneralbrigham.org.
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