Code: f300
Source material: Goat's milk
Some cow's milk allergic children may tolerate goat's milk.
Allergen Exposure
Goat's milk, cheese and other dairy products.
Potential Cross-Reactivity
Milk from related animals.
Clinical Experience
IgE-mediated reactions
IgE-mediated reactions have been reported.
Review
Goat’s milk often appears as a substitute for cow’s milk, particularly in diets administered by parents to children with atopic dermatitis (1). Some cow’s milk-allergic children may tolerate goat’s milk (2). However, there appears to be evidence for crossreactivity between goat’s milk and cow’s milk (3). In a study of crossreactivity of the casein fractions among different species, the IgE response to ewe and goat’s milk was weaker than that to cow and buffalo (4).
14/16 patients with cow’s milk allergy had specific IgE antibodies to goat’s milk (5). Serum albumin and caseins show homology to the corresponding proteins of cow and sheep (6).
References
- Webber, SA; Graham-Brown, RAC; Hutchinson, PE; Burns, DA. Dietary manipulation in childhood atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol; 1989; 121: 91-98.
- Ellis, MH; Short, J; Heiner, DC. Anaphylaxis after ingestion of a recently introduced hydrolyzed whey protein formula. J Pediatr; 1991; 118: 74-77.
- Gjesing, B; Østerballe, O; Schwartz, B; Wahn, U; Løwenstein, H. Allergen-specific IgE antibodies against antigenic components in cow milk and milk substitutes. Allergy; 1986; 41: 51-56.
- Bernard, H; Wal, JM; Creminon, C; Grassi, J; Yvon, M; Houdebine, LM. Sensitivities of cow's milk allergic patients to casein fraction of milks from different species. Allergy; 1992; 47: 306.
- Dean, TP; Adler, BR; Ruge, F; Warner, JO. In vitro allergenicity of cow's milk substitutes. Clin and Exp Allergy; 1993; 23: 205-210.
- Spuergin, P; Walter, M; Schiltz, E; Deichman, K; Forster, J; Mueller. Allergenicity of a -caseins from cow, sheep, and goat. Allergy; 1997; 52: 293-298.