Seal and whale meat: two newly recognized food allergies.
BACKGROUND
Alaska's marine mammals compose a large portion of the diet of indigenous coastal Alaskan people. Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), inhabitants of the Bering and Beaufort seas along Alaska's western and northern coasts, are 2 of the most important subsistence species, serving as major food sources to the native population.


OBJECTIVE
To describe an Inupiaq boy with symptoms consistent with an IgE-mediated food allergy after ingestion of bowhead whale and bearded seal meat.


METHODS
Extracts of cooked bowhead whale and bearded seal were prepared, lyophilized, and evaluated for protein content. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed for each extract, followed by transfer to nitrocellulose and IgE immunoblots. Skin prick testing was conducted using reconstituted extracts of 1:10 wt/vol dilution.


RESULTS
Immunoblots revealed serum specific IgE binding with the extracts of bowhead whale and bearded seal meat. Protein bands of approximately 25, 40, 50, and 90 kDa were found in the seal meat. Protein bands of 55 and 90 kDa were found in the whale meat. Skin prick test results were positive to whale and seal extracts with appropriate positive and negative controls. Ten control subjects had negative reactions to both extracts.


CONCLUSIONS
A patient with moderate anaphylaxis to bowhead whale and bearded seal meat demonstrated serum specific IgE by means of immunoblot and positive skin prick test results. This is the first known reported case of specific IgE to these species.
Moore
Laura M
LM
Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas, USA. Laura.Moore@luke.af.mil
Rathkopf
Melinda McNeal
MM
Sanner
Carol J
CJ
Whisman
Bonnie A
BA
Demain
Jeffrey G
JG
D000413:Alaska; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D050642:Bowhead Whale / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000276:immunology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D014581:Urticaria / Q000276:immunology
D007073:Immunoglobulin E