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Alpha-Gal Syndrome: Clinical Presentation, New Concepts, and Unmet Needs

  • Anaphylaxis (M Sánchez-Borges, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Allergy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

For decades, carbohydrate determinants were seen as cross-reactive structures without clinical impact. The discovery of specific IgE to the carbohydrate galactose-α-1,3-galactose, called α-gal, changed our perspective on the allergenic potential of carbohydrate determinants. α-Gal is present in tissues of non-primate mammals and, upon ingestion, can provoke a delayed form of allergic reaction in sensitized patients. We are faced with a new and unique entity of allergy with high clinical relevance in food allergy and anaphylaxis to drugs derived from mammalian products. Tick bites are assumed to constitute the primary sensitization source to α-gal. To address the complexity of this disease, the term α-gal syndrome has been suggested.

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Abbreviations

α-Gal:

Galactose-α-1,3-galactose

IgE:

Immunoglobulin E

sIgE:

Specific IgE

IgG:

Immunoglobulin G

IgA:

Immunoglobulin A

References and Recommended Reading

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Jörg Fischer MD

  2. Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

    Christiane Hilger PhD

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  1. Jörg Fischer MD
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Correspondence to Jörg Fischer MD.

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Dr. Jörg Fischer declares the he has conflicts of interest. Dr. Christiane Hilger declares the she has conflicts of interest.

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All cited studies with human subjects by any of the authors were approved by the responsible Ethics Commission and performed on informed consent of the participants. This article does not contain any study with animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Anaphylaxis

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Fischer, J., Hilger, C. Alpha-Gal Syndrome: Clinical Presentation, New Concepts, and Unmet Needs. Curr Treat Options Allergy 4, 303–311 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40521-017-0134-4

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