Semester of Graduation

Spring 2026

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Entomology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is an emerging allergy that is caused by the sugar galactose-α-1,3-galactose that is found in the saliva of Amblyomma americanum. This allergy is characterized by a delayed allergic reaction that can range anywhere from just a rash to anaphylactic shock. In the beginning of this study, we aimed to describe what environmental and methodological factors impact your chances of encountering a tick and which tick species you’re likely to encounter. Understanding what factors may increase your likelihood of encountering a tick can be helpful in informing the public as well as allowing future researchers to more effectively sample. Sampling was conducted using a combination of drag sampling, flag sampling, CO2 trapping, and public submissions. These efforts resulted in a notably low number of ticks, with only 18.6% collected using active collection methods. From this we found that two of our sites had a significantly higher rate of catch and one sampling method was also identified. This knowledge displays an interesting insight into what may be impacting low levels of tick encounters in Louisiana.

The latter half of this project was focused on surveying healthcare workers and extension agents around the state to assess their knowledge of alpha-gal syndrome. A national survey of healthcare providers was recently conducted by the CDC, which revealed shocking knowledge gaps. In addition, we want to determine if there are any external factors that might make someone more likely to answer questions correctly. From this study, we have been able to not only quantify knowledge gaps and assess the risk that AGS poses to our community but also spread awareness about AGS. We found that there was not a significant difference in answers between healthcare providers and extension agents. However, we did find that the region containing Orleans parish had significantly higher scores than those in the reference group. This information is critical for targeting knowledge gaps in our community.

Date

3-27-2026

Committee Chair

Kristen Healy

LSU Acknowledgement

1

LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment

1

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Available for download on Saturday, March 27, 2027

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Entomology Commons

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