Abstract
Allergic reaction is a common clinical picture in the Emergency Department (ED). Most
allergic reactions are from food or drugs. A detailed history is an integral aspect
of determining the causative agent of an allergy. Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal)
allergy is a tick-acquired red meat allergy that causes delayed-onset allergic reaction
or anaphylaxis due to molecular mimicry. Alpha-gal allergy may not be widely known
as a cause of allergic reactions. Lack of universal awareness of this phenomenon in
the ED and Urgent Care setting could lead to misdiagnosis, or delayed diagnosis. Subsequently,
lack of proper instruction to avoid red meat could put patients at risk for future
attacks with morbidity or mortality. We report three cases of allergic reaction presumed
from red meat consumption secondary to alpha-gal allergy.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: October 16, 2017
Accepted:
October 15,
2017
Received:
October 13,
2017
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
