Goat's milk and sheep's milk allergies in children in the absence of cow's milk allergy

Goat and sheep's milk allergies in the absence of cow's milk allergy are becoming increasingly frequent. We report clinical and allergic characteristics of this allergy. Patients. - Thirty-one children were diagnosed as having goat's milk and sheep's milk allergy based on a convincing clinical history and positive skin prick tests and/or specific IgE assays. Results. - These children had an average age of 5.9 years (range 15 months to 16 years) at the time of their first allergic reaction. Twenty-three reacted on eating goat's milk or sheep's milk cheese, 19 on consuming cooked or hidden food, including 4 who reacted on consuming cow's milk or buffalo milk cheese that had been contaminated during manufacture. Their symptoms were cutaneous (urticaria, 14 patients: angio-edema 18 patients, including 10 affecting the larynx), respiratory (asthma, 10 patients), and anaphylactic shock (6 episodes in 3 patients). Skin prick tests were positive in all but 2 children, and IgE was positive in all of them (to sheep's milk - median 8.2; goat's milk median 9.09). Sixteen children had other food allergies, including 12 with multiple food allergies. Conclusion. - The rise in the frequency of goat's and sheep's milk allergies in the absence of cow's milk allergy is of great concern. Symptoms are more severe than in the case of other food allergies. Minute amounts of goat's milk or sheep's milk may trigger severe symptoms. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. Tous droits reserves.