Martha's Vineyard Hospital has started to recruit participants for a study on alpha-gal syndrome in partnership with Boston's Mass General Hospital.
Alpha-gal syndrome [[ AGS ]] is an allergic response to meat and other mammal products that is caused by the bite of a lone star tick.
Researchers will be following as many as 300 participants over two years to examine how often AGS develops after tick bites and what factors may increase the risk.
Researchers will also study how the immune system changes and how the condition affects patients' daily lives.
(Photo: Martha's Vineyard Hospital)