Pork–cat syndrome

Pork–cat syndrome
SpecialtyImmunology

Pork–cat syndrome is an allergy to pork, usually after adolescence, that is related to cat allergy. Although first described in 1994,[1][2][3] it was first documented in the U.S. by Scott Commins and Thomas Platts-Mills during their research on alpha-gal allergy.[4]

It is called "pork–cat syndrome" because it is a cross-reactivity where an allergy to cat serum albumin (protein made by a cat's liver)[4] cross-reacts with pork albumin and "can lead to severe or even fatal allergic reactions on occasions when pork is consumed."[3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Abreu, Carmo; Gomes, Raquel; Bartolome Borja, Bial-Arístegui; Falcão, Helena; Cunha, Leonor (30 March 2015). "Pork-cat syndrome?". Clin Transl Allergy. 5 (Suppl 3): P164. doi:10.1186/2045-7022-5-S3-P164. PMC 4412402.
  2. ^ Warner, Jennifer (6 November 2011). "Pork-Cat Syndrome an Under-Recognized Allergy". WebMD.
  3. ^ a b Posthumus, Jonathon; James, Hayley R; Lane, Charles J; Matos, Luis A; Platts-Mills, Thomas A E; Commins, Scott P (24 March 2017). "Initial Description of Pork-Cat Syndrome in the United States". J Allergy Clin Immunol. 131 (3): 923–5. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2012.12.665. PMC 3594363. PMID 23352634.
  4. ^ a b Zaraska, Marta (2 December 2013). "Allergic reactions to pork may be prompted by a protein made in the liver of cats". Washington Post.