The state is now tracking cases of alpha-gal syndrome to better understand the tick-borne illness that is spreading through Martha’s Vineyard.

Gov. Maura Healey announced last Thursday that alpha-gal syndrome would be reportable to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health starting April 1 and lasting a year, with potential for an extension. State and local officials said the effort would help them learn more about how the condition is spread and the common symptoms.

“It’s an emerging public health issue in our state,” Governor Healey said at last week’s event in Falmouth.

“It’s simple, but it’s an important step,” added Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein. “It will allow us to better understand where and how often this condition is occurring.”

Alpha-gal syndrome can be life-threatening and has a wide range of symptoms, including an allergy to red meat. The condition can develop after one bite of the lone star tick, which has migrated from the south, in part due to global warming.

Gov. Maura Healey visited Falmouth last week to talk about easy hunting regulations and getting a handle on tick-borne diseases. — Gwyn Skiles

“The symptoms can sometimes be subtle, like hives or a rash, sometimes GI upset, heartburn, a cardiac symptom, fatigue,” Mr. Goldstein said. “They can appear several hours after eating red meat, and in some cases can be severe and life-threatening.”

Though the condition has a presence on the mainland — and is reportable in 17 other states — in recent years the Vineyard has become an alpha-gal hotspot.

In 2025 the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital saw 742 positive tests for alpha-gal out of 1,689 total tests. In 2020, there were only two positive results out of nine tests.

Local health officials and tick experts said the state’s efforts to track alpha-gal cases will help inform community efforts. It also demonstrates a commitment to addressing Vineyard public health concerns, they said.

“This is a major step directly in response to our community,” said Lea Hamner, an epidemiologist for the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative.

Ms. Hamner said the data derived from the reports will help officials determine how many people in the community have alpha-gal syndrome. Since people can get tested for alpha-gal multiple times, current numbers only account for part of the picture.

“This is the big picture pattern data that we all need to make better health decisions for ourselves and our communities,” Ms. Hamner said.

The state data will also help measure alpha-gal syndrome’s presence in the year-round community, Ms. Hamner said, since the data is based on residency. Current numbers include visitors and part-time residents who get tested on-Island.

The state’s alpha-gal data will track common symptoms and trigger foods to help clinicians prescribe better care, she said.

Alpha-gal syndrome has a wide range of symptoms: some people can have a life-threatening allergic reaction from consuming any mammalian product at all, while others who test positive for the alpha gal antibody have no reaction.

Aubrey Stimola Ryan, a physician assistant in the emergency room at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, applauded the initiative.

“[The data] is going to help us be more specific about individualized treatments and management given how varied these symptoms can be for patients.”

Ms. Stimola Ryan said she hopes the announcement will show patients that progress is being made. The data could also help unlock additional funding and expand resources for those living with the condition.

Tick biologists and local health agents have been pushing for this step. A new Island non-profit, Tick Free MV, hosted a workshop this winter where state epidemiologists learned about the prevalence of alpha-gal in the Vineyard community.

Some state officials also heard from residents during an alpha-gal support group meeting, which gathers on the third Thursday every month at 5 p.m. in the Up-Island Council on Aging.

“Nobody needs to be alone in managing these challenges,” said Virginia Barbatti, executive director of Tick Free MV. “It’s a community-wide challenge and there are ways to get support.”

Ms. Barbatti said that alpha-gal effects are reverberating throughout the Island community and the state testing is an important next step.

“It’s clear that state leadership is responding to the major challenges we’re facing in our community and that’s excellent to see,” Ms. Barbatti said. “The key is going to be taking action as a community with the information that we gather.”