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Food Allergy: Transfused and Transplanted

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Abstract

The inadvertent transfer of food allergy from an allergic donor to an unsuspecting recipient by transfusion or organ donation is a relatively rare but intriguing event with potentially catastrophic consequences. Additionally, the development of food allergy in the recipient of a transplant from a donor who was not food allergic poses questions about why this occurs, why it is observed more frequently in some situations than others, and the mechanisms that may be involved. In this review, the transfer of food allergy by transfusion, bone marrow transplantation, and the transplantation of different solid organs is explored, and potential mechanisms in addition to the importance of careful monitoring are discussed.

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Acknowledgment

Dr. Malka-Rais’ work is supported by the Talecris Fellowship Award.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Jewish Health, 1400 Jackson Street, J301, Denver, CO, 80206, USA

    Dan Atkins & Jonathan Malka-Rais

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  1. Dan Atkins
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  2. Jonathan Malka-Rais
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Correspondence to Dan Atkins.

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Atkins, D., Malka-Rais, J. Food Allergy: Transfused and Transplanted. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 10, 250–257 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-010-0110-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-010-0110-6

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