Ticked Off: Public Health’s Role in Understanding and Tracking Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Join Lea Hamner, epidemiologist with the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program, for a conversation about the growing public health response to Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS), a tick-associated condition now designated as a reportable disease in Massachusetts. Lea will explain what this shift means for disease tracking, clinical care, and community understanding. 

The program also addresses a common misconception: a positive Alpha-Gal test alone does not make an allergy diagnosis, and diagnosis requires the presence of allergic symptoms. By clarifying how AGS is identified, tracked, and understood, this program offers important context for a condition that continues to raise questions across the Island and beyond.

This program is free and all are welcome.