If you are allergic, maybe you know that feeling of not being able to pet a cat or enjoy an old book. On the occasion of World Allergy Day, we invite you to take a look at some rare allergies that may surprise you.
Allergy to Red meat
While most people can eat all kinds of foods, there are also those who are allergic to red meat. They show symptoms such as vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, or a skin rash.
In most cases, the allergy is due to the presence in the body of a carbohydrate called alpha-gal that triggers the production of IgE antibodies.
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But how does this substance end up in our blood? Experts link it to the bites of the Amblyomma americanum tick that inhabits some states in the US and Mexico.
To date, there is no treatment for this allergy. To prevent it, just watch out for ticks and get an IgE test before consuming red meat.
Allergy to pigeons
It is due to the presence of certain proteins present in the feces and feathers of birds. Once a person inhales excrement particles, their body begins to produce antibodies to protect their alveoli.
For example, some people are allergic to down pillows.
However, if it is constant interaction with the birds you may lead to a kind of rare pulmonary fibrosis named as lung caregiver bird.
This pathology “can occur in anyone who has a bird at home and has this predisposition,” the scientists explain in an article for the Journal of Respiratory Pathology
Allergy to water
Known as aquagenic urticaria, water allergy is extremely rare – only one person in 230 million suffers from it. Those allergic to liquid suffer from inflammation and itching when coming into contact with water.
Fortunately, in most cases, the symptoms are not very bothersome, so this allergy does not complicate your personal care much.
The only remedies for those allergic to water are medications and antihistamine creams.
Allergy to vibrations
This allergy, caused by a mutation in the ADGRE2 gene, occurs when a person’s immune system perceives a vibration – for example, that of a train or a car or even a forceful handshake – as a danger and begins to release histamines.
This very rare reaction can cause irritation, pain and vascular problems. So far, there is no remedy for this disorder: to avoid it, it is simply necessary to reduce the duration and intensity of the vibration.
Allergy to semen
This condition affects approximately 5% of women.
They suffer burning and irritation in the part of the body that was in contact with the sperm.
In the rarest cases, they can even end up in intensive care with anaphylactic shock. There are also men who are allergic to their own semen.
It is an allergy that is quite difficult to diagnose, since most people mistake it for sexually transmitted diseases and do not go to the allergist.
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And you, are you allergic to something? Tell us about your experience!
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