Why some people have allergic reactions when eating meat

New test more clearly detects an allergy to meat

The sting in a juicy steak – for many people embodying a delicious meal, for some, however, eating meat can be a horrible journey to health. The so-called alpha-gal syndrome describes an allergic reaction that occurs two to six hours after consuming red meat. Little is known about the causes of this confusing allergy. The researchers report, however, that meat allergy develops mainly after strong inflammatory reactions due to a tick bite. A German-Luxemburg research team recently developed a test to diagnose alpha-gal syndrome.

Those who suffer from an alpha-gal syndrome, after consuming red meat such as beef, pork, lamb or venom, have developed severe allergic reactions ranging from redness to respiratory distress through circulatory shock. The symptoms appearing only two to six hours after consumption, it is difficult to badociate suffering with meat consumption. Researchers at the Luxembourg Institute of Health have developed a test to better identify this rare allergy. The results of the study were recently presented in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

The allergy to meat is only known for several years

The existence of an allergy to meat was demonstrated for the first time in 2009 by American scientists. Even then, researchers suspected that the alpha-gal syndrome develops mainly as a result of tick bites. The immediate triggers of this food allergy, according to researchers, are special sugars that lie on the surface of mammalian cells. These sugars are called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, or alpha-gal for short. Human cells do not have these alpha-gal sugars.

The sugars of animal origin trigger the allergic reactions

According to the research team, these sugars of animal origin can cause allergic reactions in some people if they enter the bloodstream as a result of a meal of meat. Until now, this food intolerance could only be demonstrated by subjects who were subjected to a complex and dangerous oral provocation test: "Those affected eat more and more meat under medical supervision until An allergic reaction will occur, "says the project manager. Christiane Hilger. Due to the delay, the test is very complex and carries risks.

Blood test replaces dangerous provocation test

The German-Luxemburg research team succeeded in largely replacing this provocation test with a blood test. In the new blood test, the blood of the people concerned is stimulated by artificial allergens. "A strong reaction of basophils (white blood cells) to the lowest allergen levels is a clear indication of the alpha-gal syndrome," the researchers wrote in a press release about the study's findings.

Does tick saliva trigger rare allergy to meat?

"We still know very little about the causes and immunological basis of alpha-gal syndrome," says Hilger. Until now, it has been observed that humans develop in particular an allergy to meat, which previously had a strong inflammatory response to a tick bite. The substances in tick saliva that trigger this reaction and what exactly happens in the immune system should now be clarified in further research.

Basophils for the diagnosis of allergies

During the study, the research team also showed that the behavior of basophils in the blood made it possible to determine allergies. The team reports further studies that have shown that these cells are of interest for a more thorough allergological diagnosis because they also react strongly with other allergenic substances. (Vb)