Pork–cat syndrome explained

Pork–cat syndrome
Specialty:	Immunology

Pork–cat syndrome is an allergy to pork, usually after adolescence, that is related to cat allergy. Although first described in 1994,^{[1] [2] [3]} it was first documented in the U.S. by Scott Commins and Thomas Platts-Mills during their research on alpha-gal allergy.^[4]

It is called "pork–cat syndrome" because it is a cross-reactivity where an allergy to cat serum albumin (protein made by a cat's liver)^[4] cross-reacts with pork albumin and "can lead to severe or even fatal allergic reactions on occasions when pork is consumed."^[3]

See also

• Allergy to cats
• Alpha-gal syndrome (mammal meat allergy)
• List of allergies

Notes and References

1. Pork-cat syndrome?. Carmo. Abreu. Raquel. Gomes. Bial-Arístegui. Bartolome Borja. Helena. Falcão. Leonor. Cunha. 30 March 2015. Clin Transl Allergy. 5. Suppl 3. P164. 10.1186/2045-7022-5-S3-P164. 4412402 . free .
2. Web site: Jennifer . Warner . 6 November 2011 . Pork-Cat Syndrome an Under-Recognized Allergy . WebMD.
3. Initial Description of Pork-Cat Syndrome in the United States. Jonathon. Posthumus. Hayley R. James. Charles J. Lane. Luis A. Matos. Thomas A E. Platts-Mills. Scott P. Commins. 24 March 2017. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 131. 3. 923–5. 10.1016/j.jaci.2012.12.665. 23352634. 3594363.
4. News: Marta . Zaraska . Washington Post . 2 December 2013 . Allergic reactions to pork may be prompted by a protein made in the liver of cats.