As alpha-gal syndrome rapidly spreads across the Vineyard, Island public health officials are hoping to gauge the public’s concern over the meat allergy and gather important information that could aid in future research.

In 2020, the hospital recorded just two confirmed cases of alpha-gal sensitivity. By 2022, the number had jumped to 77. This year, as of Sept. 30, the hospital had 365 positive cases.

A study published earlier this month in the entomology journal Insects delves into how lone star and deer ticks have co-existed since the rapid rise of lone stars, and what it could mean for the future.