1/3. Selective allergy to sheep's and goat's milk proteins.BACKGROUND: Cow's milk proteins are amongst the most common causes of food allergy in infants, and caseins are probably the main allergens. The existence of a high degree of cross-reactivity between milk caseins from different animals has been reported. We describe a 2-year-old boy who experienced allergic reactions after eating and touching sheep's cheese, but who tolerated cow's milk and cow's milk dairy products. He had never ingested milk or milk derivatives from sheep or goat. methods: Skin prick tests were carried out using whey fractions of cow's milk, whole milk and casein from goat, sheep and cow. We also performed skin prick tests with enzymes used in cheese production. Prick-by-prick tests with cheese made from cow, sheep and goat and their corresponding whole milk were also performed. Total serum IgE and specific IgE to cow's milk proteins, whole cow's milk and sheep's milk were determined. Specific IgE against casein and whole milk from the three different species were determined by ELISA. Inhibition of IgE binding to bovine casein was tested for casein and whole milk from all three species. The proteins of three types of casein and whole milk from cow, sheep and goat were separated by SDS-PAGE and were incubated with the patient's serum. RESULTS: skin tests were positive to sheep's milk and goat and sheep casein and were negative to all cow's milk proteins and whole cow's and goat's milk. Prick-by-prick tests were positive to goat's and sheep's cheese and were negative to cow's cheese. In ELISA-inhibition, sheep's milk and goat and sheep casein were able to inhibit > 50 % of specific IgE binding to sheep casein. The results of immunoblotting showed that the patient's circulating IgEs recognized only one band in the lanes corresponding to sheep and goat casein. CONCLUSIONS: We report a patient with allergy to sheep's and goat's milk proteins but not to cow's milk proteins. sheep casein was probably the main allergen causing sensitization in this patient. The results suggest that sheep casein shows a high degree of cross-reactivity with goat casein but not with cow casein. Our patient presented allergic symptoms caused by sheep and goat milk and cheese proteins. However, he was able to tolerate cow's milk and cow's milk dairy products without any ill effects.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = goat (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/3. Anaphylactic reaction to goat's milk in a cow's milk-allergic infant.Goat's milk has been used as a substitute for cow's milk in cow's milk-allergic individuals. It is currently advocated for this purpose in writings and internet resources directed at the lay person, and infant formula based on goat's milk is available in many countries. Clinically significant cross-allergenicity between cow's and goat's milk has been noted, but a life-threatening cross-reaction has not been reported. We describe a 4-month-old infant with immunologically documented cow's milk protein allergy but no prior exposure to goat's milk who developed anaphylaxis after the ingestion of commercial goat's milk. Subsequent skin prick testing demonstrated a specific reaction to goat's milk. Thus, the cross-allergenicity between cow's and goat's milk proteins can lead to life-threatening complications. Individuals allergic to cow's milk protein should avoid goat's milk and goat's milk products.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.75keywords = goat (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/3. anaphylaxis to sheep's milk cheese in a child unaffected by cow's milk protein allergy.A 5-year-old atopic boy unaffected by cow's milk protein allergy experienced several anaphylactic reactions after eating food containing "pecorino" cheese made from sheep's milk. Prick-prick tests were strongly positive to sheep's buttermilk curd and 'pecorino' sheep's cheese. Skin prick tests to fresh sheep's milk and to goat's milk were also positive, whereas they were negative to all cow's milk proteins, to whole pasteurized cow's milk and to cheese made from cow's milk. Specific IgE antibodies were negative to all cow's milk proteins. CONCLUSION: sheep's milk and cheese derived from sheep's milk may cause severe allergic reactions in children affected and, as we report, in children not affected by cow's milk protein allergy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.0625keywords = goat (Clic here for more details about this article) |