Red meat allergy in children and adults

Abstract

Purpose of Review: To highlight recent advances in our understanding of the clinical features, prevalence and pathophysiology of red meat allergy.Recent findings: Allergic reactions to red (ie, mammalian) meat have historically been considered rare and described primarily in young atopic children. It is now clear that red meat allergy is not uncommon in some parts of the world in other age groups. Strikingly, the majority of these cases relate to specific IgE to galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal), an oligosaccharide of nonprimate mammals. The mechanism of sensitization in this syndrome relates to bites of certain hard ticks and the clinical reactions often have a delay of 3-6 hours. An additional form of red meat allergy relates to inhalant sensitization to mammalian proteins. The best characterized example involves cat-sensitized subjects with specific IgE to cat serum albumin who can react to ingested pork because of cross-sensitization to pork serum albumin.Summary: Red meat allergy is more common than previously appreciated and relates to at least three different forms that are distinguished by mechanisms of sensitization and have characteristic clinical and immunologic features.

IgE-mediated food allergy throughout life

“…On the contrary to other types of FA, even with high titers of sIgE to alpha-gal, earliest symptom onset is 150 min (120 to 750 min) on average [77]. This raises the suspicion on the non-IgE mechanism, however all evidence supports that alpha-gal syndrome is an IgE-mediated disease.…”

“…There are three distinct forms of red meat allergy which are primary, pork-cat syndrome, and alpha-gal syndrome [77]. Primary beef allergy typically presents in childhood, porkcat syndrome is most common in adolescents, whereas alpha-gal syndrome may present at any age [77].…”

“…In 2009, it was shown in a group of patients that after eating mammalian meat, they experienced delayed anaphylaxis or urticaria/angioedema with lack of immediate oral symptoms, and demonstrate IgE antibodies to alpha-gal [79]. There are alpha-gal epitopes within the saliva of tick and it is certain that sensitization to alpha-gal is related to bites of hard ticks [77].…”

“…Management of alpha-gal syndrome includes dietary counseling for avoidance and prescription of an adrenalin autoinjector. The titers of sIgE to alpha-gal may decrease over time, and reintroduction of red meat into diet may be possible when proof of tolerance is established over several years [77].…”

Alergija katėms ir šunims

“…Gyvūnui įkandus (pvz., katei), labai retai galimos anafilaksinės reakcijos [5,6]. Suvalgius termiškai neapdorotos raudonos mėsos (kiaulienos, jautienos, ėrienos), labai retai gali pasireikšti alergijos maistui sindromai [7][8][9]. Ypač retai šunims alergiškoms moterims gali atsirasti alerginės reakcijos žmogaus spermos plazmai [10,11].…”