Rabbit serum proteins
Summary
Serum albumins of pets, including Oryctolagus cuniculus (rabbit), are inhalant allergens that cause respiratory symptoms in sensitized individuals. As rabbits are the third most common household pet in Europe and the US, rabbit allergens are an important cause of allergic respiratory disease.
Epidemiology
Worldwide distribution
In patients with pet allergies, serum albumins are recognized by the serum of 20–30% of patients. In a group of patients sensitized to rabbit allergens, IgE prevalence to Ory c 3 was 77%.
Risk factors
Contact with rabbits in a professional setting, for example an animal testing laboratory, increases the risk of occupational sensitization. Risk factors for the development of laboratory animal allergies include atopy, familial history of allergic diseases, and environmental susceptibility.
As rabbits are popular pets, exposure to rabbit allergens occurs in the home through rabbit ownership or occasional contact. In addition to direct contact with rabbits, airborne particles from rabbit dander may settle then be re-dispersed into the air, causing allergic symptoms even when the animal is not present.
Route Of Exposure
Main
Inhalation
Secondary
Ingestion
Clinical Relevance
Symptoms of sensitization to rabbit allergens include allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, bronchial asthma and, on rare occasions, anaphylaxis.
Cross-Reactivity
Ory c 4 has a high sequence identity to Fel d 4 and Can f 6, which makes IgE-cross reactivity highly probable.
References
- CABI. Oryctolagus cuniculus (rabbits) 2021. Available from: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/72046.
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