Thank you for highlighting the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program’s conversation with Alpha-gal Syndrome expert Dr. Scott Commins. A critical takeaway from Dr. Scott Commins’ recent presentation is the caution against universal Alpha-gal testing. Dr. Commins’ teaches fellow medical providers that testing should confirm what you already suspect and should only be pursued if the patient is experiencing symptoms indicative of Alpha-gal Syndrome. The reason he advises against universal testing is that the immune system can develop antibodies to Alpha-gal carbohydrate (aka test positive) without leading to an allergy. The lab test on its own is not the black-and-white tool we wish it would be.

Another important takeaway from the expert is that while there is currently no prescribed cure for Alpha-gal Syndrome, some (not all) patients can get over their allergy after two to five years without further Lone Star tick bites. Interestingly, the allergy cells are immature cells and seem to dissipate over time. In this case, prevention is the cure: avoiding tick bites is the best way to prevent and overcome Alpha-gal Syndrome. For reliable prevention tips, visit the MV Tick Program website.

Determining when it is safe to eat or use mammalian products again should be done in consultation with your allergist.

It is also important to clarify the data reported from the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital lab, which has been shared in many news articles to-date. The statistics reflect total tests conducted and positive results. People may get repeat testing within the same year to track their immune response and each time they test will show up in these numbers. Therefore these numbers do not equate to the total number of unique patients. Understanding the number of people with Alpha-gal Syndrome is a work in progress by our public health and healthcare systems.

To learn more about Alpha-gal Syndrome, we recommend AlphaGalInformation.org. For those affected by the allergy, check out the mobile app FIG (Food Is Good). It has a convenient barcode scanner that crowdsources data to identify foods that may contain alpha-gal. At this point labelling for alpha-gal is not required because it has not been federally regulated as an allergen; let us hope they catch up to the times as recent estimates from the CDC put it as the 10th most common food allergen in the country.

Together, we can enhance awareness and promote informed action for those impacted by Alpha-gal Syndrome.

Lea Hamner, MPH, epidemiologist for the InterIsland Public Health Excellence Collaborative

Edward Caldwell, MD, Allergist & Otolaryngologist