title: Galactose-α-1,3-Galactose Allergy Is Not a Hitherto Unrecognized Cause of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tick bite-induced galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) IgE and subsequent ingestion of red meat may cause delayed severe allergic reactions including urticaria, gastrointestinal symptoms or anaphylaxis. We tested the hypothesis that increased levels of IgE to α-Gal due to tick bites and the subsequent ingestion of red meat or meat products may possibly be an un(der)recognized cause of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of IgE to α-Gal and total IgE were measured (ImmunoCAP, Phadia AB/Thermo Fisher Scientific) in 83 patients (61 female and 22 male, median age 43 years, range 18-82) from the Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany. All had been clinically diagnosed with moderate-to-severe CSU of a median duration of 2.9 years (range 0.1-50).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty of the 83 patients (96%) had undetectable (<0.1 kUA/l) serum levels of IgE against α-Gal. The levels in the remaining 3 were all low (0.25, 0.4 and 3.1 kUA/l). In no patient, including those with measurable serum levels of IgE against α-Gal, was eating red meat associated with the development of symptoms of urticaria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that an allergic response to α-Gal is highly unlikely to be a hitherto unrecognized common cause of CSU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charitx00E9;, Charitx00E9; - Universitx00E4;tsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.forename: Martin K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Starkhammar
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamsten
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Hage
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000009:adverse effects; D064927:Tick Bites / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D013987:Ticks / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014581:Urticaria / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004187:Disaccharides; C055075:galactosyl-(1-3)galactose; D007073:Immunoglobulin E