News

In 2023 — three whole tick seasons ago — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that nearly half a million Americans already had alpha-gal syndrome. There’s reason to suspect that this number is wildly low. In states where the lone star is endemic, 24 percent of blood-donor samples have tested positive for alpha-gal antibodies.

Jaeger was unloading paper products at The Yellow Kittens about six hours later when he started feeling itchy. He ran back to his truck, looked in the mirror and saw his face swelling up. Within a matter of minutes, Jaeger was struggling to breathe. His vision went dark. Before he knew what was happening, he was being rushed to Rhode Island Hospital by helicopter.

A new early hunting season for the Vineyard started this week as part of an overarching effort to cut down the deer population on the Island in the name of public health. In the first three days after the season opened Monday, at least 40 deer were harvested on the Vineyard. Ten to twelve were brought in the first day to the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society deer locker in West Tisbury. That number is higher than normal for opening day, according to Patrick Roden-Reynolds, an Island tick biologist and avid hunter who manages the cooler.

A Massachusetts public health update on tick activity and tick-borne illness rates across the state, with Dukes and Nantucket counties reporting the highest rates of tick-related emergency department visits. Includes coverage of Massachusetts' new alpha-gal reporting requirement and standard prevention guidance.

A national business story on the economic toll of Martha's Vineyard's tick crisis, with ferry ridership down 5% and short-term rentals softening as tourists cut trips short or reconsider visiting altogether — and local businesses grappling with how to respond.

A Long Island man becomes the first in New York to be diagnosed with Bourbon virus, a rare and potentially fatal tick-borne illness spread by lone star ticks that has no vaccine or treatment. Doctors warn the virus may be more prevalent than currently recognized, given how closely its symptoms resemble other tick-borne infections.

A compelling argument that America's tick problem has outgrown individual prevention and demands a coordinated public response, surveying the full range of potential solutions: from deer culling and tick-killing drugs to vaccines and targeted pesticides — and calling for the political will to use them.

A clear, expert-driven explainer on alpha-gal syndrome covering where lone star ticks are established, how to prevent bites, how the syndrome is diagnosed, and what treatment options currently exist. A practical reference for anyone living in or visiting tick-prone areas like Martha's Vineyard.

Researchers from NEWVEC are partnering with the Chappaquiddick community to test tick-killing medications delivered through deer bait — a targeted approach that could offer a scalable model for communities across the country, with trials planned for fall 2026 and a potential Chappy deployment in spring 2027.

Lea Hamner and Aubrey Stimola Ryan represented Martha's Vineyard at the first national alpha-gal syndrome conference in Raleigh, where Hamner presented on the island's response and the community's coordinated approach drew recognition from the CDC. The piece covers key takeaways on treatment, deer management, and the road ahead for national alpha-gal policy.