Alpha gal specific IgE positivity due to tick bites and red meat allergy: the first case report in Turkey.

Keles S, Gündüz M. Alpha gal specific IgE positivity due to tick bites and red meat allergy: the first case report in Turkey. Turk J Pediatr 2019; 61: 615-617. Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose is a carbohydrate moiety found in the cell membranes of many organisms, commonly known as alpha-gal (α-Gal). This oligosaccharide is not found in the group of primates in which humans are involved. It has been found that α-Gal plays a key role in delayed IgE-mediated red meat allergy and this allergen is triggered by tick bites. Here we present a 7-year-old boy with alpha-gal allergy from Turkey.

Serum Cytokine Profiles in Infants with Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) in infancy is believed to have distinct features as compared to AD in other age groups, and little is known about cytokine production in infants with AD. We aimed to measure the serum cytokine levels of infants with atopic dermatitis and evaluate the association of new anti-inflammatory cytokines with the disease. Eighty-one infant patients with AD and 52 healthy controls were involved in this study. The serum levels of major pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines of the T-helper (Th) subtypes, as well as more recently defined interleukins (IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37), were measured using the ELISA method. The serum levels of IL-35, IL-5, and interferon (IFN)-γ were found to be significantly higher, while the levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 and IL-13 were found to be significantly lower in patients with AD as compared to controls. There was no statistically significant correlation between serum cytokine levels and objective SCORAD index or total immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels. We did not observe prominent serum Th2 polarization in atopic infants. The immunopathogenesis of atopy onset at an early age may be more complicated than that at older ages.

Treatment of brucellosis in a young child with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole anaphylaxis.

Brucellosis is a common zoonotic disease throughout the world. Brucella spp. transmit to humans through contact with fluids of infected animals, especially sheep, cattle, and goats. It is also transmitted by ingestion of fluid-derived products of infected animals, such as unpasteurized milk and cheese. Brucella spp. changes pH level of intracellular environment, so the first treatment approach is to administer antibiotics that have activity in acidic conditions. Anti-brucellosis treatment regimens include doxycycline for children older than eight years old and rifampicin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) combination therapy for children under eight years old, which may be able to act intracellularly under acidic conditions. A TMP-SMX allergy causing anaphylaxis has been reported previously. No alternative anti-brucellosis treatments have been reported in the literature for patients under eight years old with a TMP-SMX allergy. Here, we report a case of a child with brucellosis and a TMP-SMX allergy who was under eight years old at the time of diagnosis and was successfully treated with rifampicin, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin.