Martha’s Vineyard residents forced to go vegan, become ‘social pariahs’ because of bloodsucking insect

Residents in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, are being forced to change what’s on their plates as a dangerous tick-borne allergy sweeps the once-glamorous island, reports say.

The lone star tick, an aggressive bloodsucker, has triggered a surge in “alpha-gal syndrome,” a condition that leaves victims unable to eat red meat or dairy without risking allergic reactions. Some have even gone into anaphylactic shock.

Hundreds of residents have already been affected, with 523 cases reported last year, according to The Times of London.

One restaurant owner in Edgartown offers an “alpha-gal entrée.” 

“We’ll have local people come in, and they’ll absolutely ask for alpha-gal entrées. No dairy, nothing with mammals,”  said Megan DeLisle, the general manager of the Black Dog.

“People are talking about it all the time. They get a tick bite, and they’re scared, asking for advice.”

Although lone star ticks are more common in the South, they’ve recently appeared on Martha’s Vineyard due to the island’s large deer population. 

The ticks thrive in grassy areas and dense forests, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Tick-borne Illness Reduction Initiative.