Sensitisation and allergic reactions to alpha-1,3-galactose in Podlasie, Poland, an area endemic for tick-borne infections

Abstract

Purpose

Ticks transmit several pathogens and seem implicated in the production of specific IgE antibodies to alpha-1,3-galactose (α-gal sIgE). They cause delayed and immediate allergy to mammalian meat and medication including antivenoms, vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

Methods

We assessed the prevalence of α-gal sIgE in forest workers and healthy controls in the Podlasie voivodeship, north-eastern Poland; the relationship between α-gal sIgE and allergy to α-gal-containing products; the correlation between α-gal sIgE and anti-Borrelia burgdorferi and anti-tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) antibodies; the relationship between α-gal sIgE and markers of infection with lesser-known pathogens transmitted by ticks such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

Results

Production of α-gal sIgE was closely related to tick bites. The odds ratio for detectable α-gal sIgE was 9.31 times higher among people with a history of tick bites (OR 9.3; p < .05). There was no correlation with the history of TBE, Lyme disease or human granulocytic anaplasmosis. However, serum α-gal sIgE correlated with anti-TBEV IgM antibodies in CSF. There was a strong correlation between α-gal sIgE and total IgE and sIgE to pork and beef.

Conclusions

Our data support the link between I.ricinus ticks and the production of α-gal sIgE and confirm that the pathogens carried by ticks we examined for do not seem implicated in this immune response.

Keywords:

• Allergy
• alpha gal
• alpha gal syndrome
• Ixodes ricinus
• sensitisation
• ticks

Ethics approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Medical University of Bialystok (R-I-002/460/2018). Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Consent to participate

All patients provided written informed consent to participate.

Consent for publication

All authors gave their consent for the publication of the study.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.