Allergen Data Collection: Chicken Meat (Gallus domesticus)
Internet Symposium on Food Allergens 3(4):193-201 (2001) [http://www.food-allergens.de]

1 Prevalence of Chicken Meat Allergy

Prevalence data are based on different diagnostic procedures. While the prevalence of sensitization (sensitivity) can be estimated by SPT, RAST, and immunoblot, a clinical relevant sensitization (allergy) is evaluated by convincing history (anamnesis) or food challenge tests (ideally by DBPCFC).

1.1 General Population

Prevalence estimates within the author's selected populations are listed. Those that are assigned randomly selected ("unselected") with numbers more than 500 may be regarded as representative of the "general populations". Inclusion criteria may involve circumstances not related to atopic predisposition according to current knowledge.
 
Country / Subjects Sensitivity / Allergy to References
Japan
1336 children in nusery school < 6 years of age
(12.6% reported symptoms of immediate-type food allergy)
chicken meat 0.57% (questionnaire) Iikura et al. 1999

1.2 Subjects with Atopic or Other Diseases
 
Country / Subjects Allergy / Sensitization References
Australia, Melbourne
96 cow's milk allergic children
chicken meat 9% (adverse reactions reported by parents) Hill et al. 1997
France, Nancy and Toulouse
544 food allergic children
chicken meat 0.6% (food challenge) Rance et al. 1999
Italy, Parma
31 children with atopic dermatitis
chicken meat 6.5% (RAST) Caffarelli et al. 2001
South Africa, Cape Town
112 children with atopic dermatitis
chicken meat 3.8% (reported by parents) Steinman & Potter 1994
Spain, Madrid
25 bird feather allergic patients (SPT, RAST)
chicken meat 28% (RAST)
chicken meat 20% (SPT)
chicken meat 12% (intolerance)
Anibarro-Bausela et al. 1991
Spain, Madrid
27 children with bird-egg syndrome
chicken meat 22% (self-reported symptoms) Anibarro Bausela et al. 1997
Spain, Madrid
8 patients with bird-egg syndrome (21 to 41 years of age)
chicken meat 100% (SPT, RAST)
chicken meat 50% (symptoms to raw meat)
Quirce et al. 2001
Switzerland, Zurich
402 food allergic adults (study period 1978-87)
chicken meat 2.5% Wüthrich 1993
Switzerland, Zurich
383 food allergic patients (study period 1990-94)
chicken meat 2.3% Etesamifar & Wüthrich 1998
USA, Denver, CO
45 food allergic children > 3 years of age
chicken meat 2.2% (DBFC) Bock 1982
USA, Denver, CO
a) 74 food allergic children < 3 years of age
b) 111 food allergic children between 3 and 19 years of age
a) chicken meat 0% (DBPCFC)
b) chicken meat 1.8% (DBPCFC)
Bock & Atkins 1990
USA, Durham, NC
40 atopic children with food allergy
chicken meat 5% (DBPCFC) Sampson & Albergo 1984
USA, Durham, NC
113 children with atopic dermatitis
chicken meat 17% (SPT)
chicken meat 2.7% (DBPCFC)
Sampson & McCaskill 1985
USA, Little Rock, AR
165 patients with atopic dermatitis
chicken meat 10% (SPT) from which 13% were DBPCFC-positive (n=16) Burks et al. 1998
USA, New Orleans, LA
43 subjects with mammalian meat sensitivity
chicken meat 44% (grid immunoblot) Ayuso et al. 1999
Yugoslavia, Zagreb
35 men employed in the processing of animal food (studied for respiratory symptoms and immunological status)
chicken meat 31% (SPT) Zuskin et al.1992

1.3 Prevalence of Associated Allergies
 
Country / Subjects Sensitivity / Allergy to References
USA, New Orleans, LA
57 subjects with suspected meat allergy
beef 73%
lamb 71%
pork 58%
vension 59%
chicken 41%
turkey 38%
(grid immunoblot)
Ayuso et al. 1999
USA, San Diego, CA / Little Rock, AR
3 subjects with poultry allergy
chicken 100%
turkey 100%
dove 100%
quail 100%
egg 0%
(SPT)
Kelso et al. 1999

2 Outgrowing of Sensitivity
 
Country / Subjects Allergy / Sensitivity References
Spain, Madrid
27 children with bird-egg syndrome
At the begin of study 2 children presented symptoms after ingestion of chicken meat; at 4 years follow-up chicken meat challenges were negative (oral challenge) Anibarro Bausela et al. 1997

3 Symptoms of Chicken Meat Allergy
 
Symptoms & Case Reports References
systemic reactions
anaphylaxis (1)

symptoms on skin and mucous membranes
angioedema (2), hives (5), swelling of eyes (5), contact urticaria (2, 6*), urticaria (2) 

gastrointestinal symptoms
itching of mouth (5), nausea (5), oral allergy syndrome (3, 4), peri-oral syndrome (2), swelling of lips (5), swelling of throat (5), vomiting (2, 5)

respiratory symptoms
asthma (2), cough (2), shortness of breath (5)

* to raw meat, tolerate cooked

(1) David 1984
(2) Anibarro Bausela et al. 1997
(3) Escribano et al. 1998
(4) Vila et al. 1998
(5) Kelso et al. 1999
(6) Quirce et al. 2001
Threshold for Elicitation of Symptoms
A dose of 50 g chicken meat induced allergic symptoms in 2 chicken meat allergic children (oral challenge) (1)
(1) Anibarro Bausela et al. 1997

4 Diagnostic Features of Chicken Meat Allergy
 
Parameters / Subjects Outcome References
Skin Test, RAST
2 patients with positive DBPCFC to chicken meat
One patient had positve SPT and negative RAST and the other hat negative SPT and positive RAST Sampson & Albergo 1984
IgE
Patients with isolated chicken or poultry meat allergy
No sensitization to egg yolk protein (chicken serum albumin), but IgE-binding to several proteins <70 kDa (1) Liccardi et al. 1997
(2) Cahen et al. 1998
(3) Kelso et al. 1999

5 Composition of Chicken Meat

6 Allergens of Chicken Meat
 
Proteins / Glycoproteins Allergen Nomenclature* References
Chicken serum albumin [66 / 70 kDa]
identical to alpha-levitin (egg yolk)
Gal d 5 de Blay et al. 1994, Szepfalusi et al. 1994
Allergens: 21, 23, and 50 kDa (distinct bands); 13, 27, and 33 kDa (faint bands)   Cahen et al. 1998
Allergens:17, 20, 24, 28, 31, 45, 66, and 150 kDa   Ayuso et al. 1999
* current list of the Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee 2001
** patients not related or with unknown relationship to bird-egg syndrome
 

6.1 Sensitization to Allergens of Chicken Meat
 
Country / Subjects Sensitivity References
Spain, Madrid
8 patients with bird-egg syndrome (21 to 41 years of age)
chicken serum albumin 100% (SPT, RAST) Quirce et al. 2001
USA, Greenville, NC
1 patient with bird-egg syndrome
chicken meat, egg yolk, chicken and pigeon serum, and phosvitin  (RAST, RAST inhibition) Hoffman & Guenther 1988
USA, New Orleans, LA
57 subjects with suspected meat allergy
chicken tropomyosin in 1 of 57
(Grid immunoblot)
Ayuso et al. 1999

6.2 Chicken Serum Albumin

7 Isolation & Preparation
 
Extract / Purified Allergens Methods References
Chicken Meat After homogenization meat was extracted by PBS buffer (pH 7.2) for 3 hours at 4°C, centrifuged, fat removed and the supernatant concentrated by ultracentrifugation; aliquots stored at -20°C Ayuso et al. 1999

8 Cross-Reactivities
 
Cross-Reacting Allergens Subjects / Methods References
Chicken Meat (Egg White)
egg white, chicken serum, chicken meat
egg allergic patients (quantitative immunoelectrophoresis) Langeland 1983
Chicken Serum (Egg Yolk)
egg yolk, chicken serum
1 patient with egg allergy: Up to 100% inhibition of IgE- binding to egg yolk by chicken serum and egg yolk (RAST inhibition) Hoffman & Guenther 1988
Chicken Serum Albumin (Hen's Egg)
chicken liver, meat, and hen's egg proteins*
Specific serum IgE against chicken serum albumin (livetin), albumin and ovotransferrin from hen's egg and against chicken serum, liver, and meat (RAST, SPT, 1 patient)  Vouillot et al. 1992
Chicken Serum Albumin (Hen's Egg)
chicken serum, feathers, egg yolk
1 egg allergic patient: >90% inhibition of IgE binding to egg yolk by livetins, feather extracts, and chicken serum albumin; no inhibition with ovomucoid (immunoblot, RAST inhibition) Quirce et al. 1998
Chicken Serum Albumin (Hen's Egg)
chicken serum albumin, ovotransferrin from hen's egg white
Only partial cross-reactivity between chicken albumin and ovotransferrin (Gal d 3) (ELISA inhibition, 8 patients with bird-egg syndrome, and SPT and RAST sensitivity to chicken meat) Quirce et al. 2001
Chicken Meat (Turkey)
chicken and turkey meat
Cross-reactivity between chicken and turkey meat allergens (immunoblot inhibition, 2 poultry allergic patients) Cahen et al. 1998
Chicken Serum Albumin (Dog Albumin)
dog albumin*
Patients with dog albumin specific serum IgE:  cross- reactivity with purified chicken albumin (histamine release test) Spitzauer et al. 1994
* multiple sensitization (not proven by  inhibition-tests)

9 Stability of Chicken Meat Allergens
 
Treatment Effects References
Heat (Chicken Meat)
cooked chicken meat
Positive SPT to raw meat and negative SPT to cooked meat in a meat allergic patient Kanny et al. 1998
Heat (Chicken Meat)
raw and cooked chicken meat (140°C, 20 min)
46% of sera showed IgE binding to raw meat only, 25% of sera to heated meat only, and 29% of sera showed IgE binding to both raw and heated meat (24 sera from chicken meat allergic subjects, grid immunoblot)
Allergens detected in raw and heated meat: 17, 20, 24, 28, 31, and 66 kDa proteins; a 45 and a 150 kDa protein were heat labile, while several neoallergens in the range of 14 to 90 kDa were detected in heated meat (SDS-PAGE immunoblot, 18 chicken meat sensitive patient's sera)
Ayuso et al. 1999
Heat (Chicken Serum Albumin)
heated chicken serum albumin (90°C, 30 min)
IgE reactivity to chicken albumin was reduced by 88% after heating (RAST inhibition, 8 patients with positive SPT and RAST to chicken serum albumin) Quirce et al. 2001

10 Allergen Sources

10.1 Chicken Meat Allergen Sources
 
Reported Adverse Reactions References
Chicken Meat see 2 Symptoms of Chicken Meat Allergy

10.2 Chicken Associated Allergen Sources
 
Potential Adverse Reactions References
Pharmaceuticals (Vaccines)
2 of 3 patients with chicken meat allergy had positive SPT to yellow fever vaccine (1)
(1) Kelso et al. 1999

 

10 References


 copyright © 2001 by matthias besler -  ONLINE PUBLISHER
home: www.food-allergens.de