Written by Brian Bushard - Photography by Kit Noble

Martha’s Vineyard has a tick problem. In just a few years, the island has seen an explosion of the lone star tick, a faster and more aggressive arachnid than deer ticks, which have swept the island and carried with them alpha gal syndrome, a tick-borne illness that causes an allergy to meat from hoofed animals and has become the talk of the Vineyard.

Last year, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital reported 742 positive alpha-gal tests, up from just two in 2020. As of June, there have been another 416 positive tests on the Vineyard, according to the most recent available data. Some restaurants on the Vineyard have even changed their menus to READ MORE>>>