EARLY CHILDHOOD-ONSET PORK-CAT SYNDROME DUE TO SENSITIZATION BY BOTH CATS AND DOGS -A CASE REPORT

Abstract

We present a case of early childhood-onset pork-cat syndrome possibly due to sensitization by both cats and dogs. A 6-year-old girl was referred to our hospital because of repetitive episodes of urticaria when she consumed pork meat. The patient lived with a dog and the ground floor of her house was a veterinary clinic run by her veterinarian parents. Blood tests demonstrated high specific IgE (≥50UA/ml) against cat dander, dog dander, pork, Sus s 1, Fel d 2, Can f 1, Can f 2, and Can f 3. The skin prick test was positive for raw pork and beef. Western blotting analysis detected hot spots on 67-kDa proteins in pork meat and cat dander extract. Cross-reactivity between these two proteins was confirmed by an inhibition test. Furthermore, crossreactivity between pork meat and dog dander extract was also noted. Taken together, the diagnosis of porkcat syndrome was made, and both cats and dogs were suggested to have led to the sensitization. The patient was advised to only eat well-cooked pork, and has been followed thereafter without additional reactions. The previously reported cases of this syndrome developed during adolescence and young adulthood because a considerable period from the sensitization to the development cross-reactivity with pork meat is required. To our best knowledge, this is the youngest reported case of pork-cat syndrome among English and Japanese literatures. The nomenclature of this syndrome as pet animal-meat syndrome improves the understanding of the underlying pathogenesis of cross-reactivity between animal albumins and meat albumins.