Residents in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, are being compelled to adjust their diets as a hazardous tick-borne allergy spreads across the island, once known for its glamour, reports indicate.
The lone star tick, a persistent parasite, has caused a rise in “alpha-gal syndrome,” a condition that prevents sufferers from eating red meat or dairy without experiencing allergic reactions. In severe cases, individuals have endured anaphylactic shock.
Hundreds of residents have already been affected, with 523 cases reported last year, according to The Times of London.
The allergy triggered by tick bites prevents people from eating foods like red meat that contain alpha-gal. (iStock)
One restaurant owner in Edgartown offers an “alpha-gal entrée.”
“We’ll have local people come in, and they’ll absolutely ask for alpha-gal entrées. No dairy, nothing with mammals,” said Megan DeLisle, the general manager of the Black Dog.
“People are talking about it all the time. They get a tick bite, and they’re scared, asking for advice.”
Although lone star ticks are more common in the South, they’ve recently appeared on Martha’s Vineyard due to the island’s large deer population.
The ticks thrive in grassy areas and dense forests, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Tick-borne Illness Reduction Initiative.
