Overview
Meat from any mammal—beef, lamb, pork, goat, even whale and seal—can cause allergic reactions. Although meat allergy is uncommon, more cases have been reported over the past few years, and the number continues to rise due to increased recognition of the diagnosis.
Bites from the lone star tick can cause people to become allergic to red meat, including beef and pork. The lone star tick has been linked to red meat allergy in the United States.
Meat allergies can occur at any time in life. If you are allergic to one type of meat, you may also be allergic to other meats and poultry such as chicken, turkey, and duck.
Studies have found that a very small number of children who are allergic to cow's milk are also allergic to beef. Before removing beef or pork from your child's diet with a milk allergy, ask your allergist if your child should be tested for a beef or pork allergy.
symptom
Food allergies occur when the body's immune system becomes sensitive and overreactive to food proteins, which usually does not cause a problem for most people.
- Vomit
- stomach cramps
- indigestion
- diarrhea
- respite
- Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
- recurring cough
- Throat is tight and voice is hoarse
- weak pulse
- Pale or bluish skin
- measles
- Swelling, which may affect the tongue and/or lips
- Dizziness
- Confused
- Anaphylaxis , a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction
trigger allergies
Eat the meat of mammals and sometimes poultry.
If you are allergic to meat, your body will perceive meat as a physical threat. When you first have this reaction, your immune system produces specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fight the threat; these antibodies attach to immune cells throughout your body.
After that, every time you eat meat, the allergen binds to the IgE antibodies and causes the cells to release histamine and other chemicals to protect you.
These chemicals can cause your symptoms to range from mild to severe, depending on which tissue releases the antibodies. Severe allergic reactions may include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction that must be treated immediately with epinephrine .
Bites from the lone star tick can cause people to become allergic to red meat, including beef and pork. This specific allergy is related to a carbohydrate called alpha-gal and is best diagnosed with a blood test. While reactions to food usually occur immediately, in the case of alpha-gal allergy, symptoms often take several hours to appear. Because there is a significant delay between eating red meat and allergic reactions, linking the culprit food to symptoms can be a challenge.
diagnosis
The symptoms of a meat allergy vary from person to person, and you may not always experience the same symptoms with every reaction. Food allergic reactions can affect the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system. Meat allergies can also appear in different age groups.
If you suspect you have a meat allergy, it's time to see an allergist An allergist. They can determine which tests to perform and whether food allergies are present, and then work with you to manage your allergies.
To make a diagnosis, an allergist will ask detailed questions about your medical history and symptoms. Be prepared to answer the following questions:
- What and how much you ate
- How long does it take for symptoms to appear
- What symptoms you experienced and how long they lasted.
- Do you eat the meat again or in a different form without developing symptoms.
Your allergist will usually perform a skin test and/or a blood test. These show whether food-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies are present in your body.
- Skin testing results take approximately 15 minutes. A small, sterile probe containing trace amounts of the food allergen is used to pierce the skin of the forearm or back. These tests are not painful but can be uncomfortable, and are considered positive if a large enough wheal (similar to a bump after a mosquito bite) appears at the site.
- A blood test measures the amount of IgE antibodies directed against the specific food being tested. Results are typically obtained within approximately one week and reported in numerical form.
Your allergist will use the results of these tests and the clinical history you provide to make a diagnosis. While your medical history and these diagnostic tools can indicate a food allergy, an allergist may need to perform additional testing before confirming your diagnosis.
In some cases, an allergist may wish to perform an oral food challenge, which is the gold standard for food allergy diagnosis. This can be expensive and time-consuming. In some cases, it is potentially dangerous, so this test is not routinely performed to confirm allergy when the clinical history and testing are consistent with food allergy. This test is usually done when the history and/or testing is inconsistent or not conclusive enough for a true food allergy.
During an oral food challenge, patients are fed small amounts of suspected trigger foods in gradually increasing doses over a period of time under the strict supervision of an allergist. Keep first aid medications and first aid equipment on hand during the process.
An oral food challenge may also be performed to determine if the patient has outgrown the food allergy.
Management and Treatment
Once a meat allergy is diagnosed, the best treatment is to avoid the triggering factors. Check the ingredient labels of foods carefully to see if the food you need to avoid has other names.
Be extra careful when dining out. Waiters, and sometimes even kitchen staff, may not always know the ingredients in every dish on the menu.
Anyone with food allergies must make some changes in their diet. Your allergist can guide you to helpful resources, including special recipes, patient support groups, and registered dietitians who can help you plan your meals.
Managing severe food reactions with epinephrine
Food allergies, including meat allergies, can cause symptoms ranging from mild to life-threatening; the severity of each reaction is unpredictable. People who previously experienced only mild symptoms may suddenly develop more severe reactions, including anaphylaxis. In the United States, food allergies are the leading cause of anaphylaxis outside of hospitals.
Epinephrine is the first line of treatment for anaphylaxis, a flood of chemicals triggered when exposed to an allergen that can send your body into shock if left untreated. Anaphylaxis can occur within seconds or minutes, can quickly worsen, and can even be fatal.
Once you are diagnosed with a food allergy, your allergist may prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector and teach you how to use it. Check the expiration date on your auto-injector, note the expiration date on your calendar, and ask your pharmacy about prescription renewal reminders.
If possible, have two epinephrine auto-injectors available, especially if you are far from an urgent care center, as severe reactions may occur again. Epinephrine should be used immediately if you have severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath, repeated coughing, hives all over your body, tightness in your throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or a combination of symptoms in different parts of your body, such as hives, rash, or swelling. Inflammation of the skin accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain.
Even if you are not sure whether a reaction requires epinephrine, you should use it because the benefits of epinephrine far outweigh the risks.
Common side effects of epinephrine may include anxiety, irritability, dizziness, and tremors. You may be at higher risk for adverse reactions to epinephrine if you have certain preexisting conditions.
Your allergist will provide you with a written emergency treatment plan outlining which medications should be given and when.
Other medications may be prescribed to treat food allergy symptoms, including antihistamines and albuterol, but it is important to note that epinephrine cannot be substituted: it is the only medication that can reverse the symptoms of life-threatening anaphylaxis. These other medications can be given after epinephrine, and antihistamines can be given alone to treat milder allergic reactions, depending on your food allergy action plan.
Managing food allergies in children
Because fatal and near-fatal food allergy reactions can occur when children are away from their families, make sure your child's school, day care center, or other program has a written emergency operations plan that includes instructions for precautions in the classroom and during physical education. Identify and manage these events during events such as events and field trips.
If your child takes an auto-injector, make sure you and the person supervising your child understand how to use it. Consult an allergist for expert care and relief from meat allergies.
