Bovine serum albumin contained in culture medium used in artificial insemination is an important anaphylaxis risk factor

OBJECTIVE:

To analyze the cause of the anaphylactic reaction after a standard artificial insemination process in a patient diagnosed with asthma.
DESIGN:

Case report.
SETTING:

Residencia Sanitaria Virgen de la Arrixaca (Murcia, Spain) and University of the Basque Country (Vitoria, Spain).
PATIENT(S):

A 30-year-old woman with a previous medical history compatible with respiratory allergy who suffered an anaphylactic reaction after an artificial insemination with spermatozoids in capable medium (Upgraded B2 INRA medium; Laboratories CCD, Paris, France).
INTERVENTION(S):

Cutaneous tests and specific IgE levels to inhalant allergens, grass and Olea pollens, and insemination medium were performed.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):

Specific IgE levels to mammal epithelia and bovine serum albumin (BSA).
RESULT(S):

Skin prick tests were positive for inhalant allergens such as mites, cat, dog, horse, and rabbit epithelia, grasses and Olea pollens, and the insemination medium. The beta-lactamic tests were negative. The determination of specific IgE demonstrated positive values to mammal epithelia and mammal serum albumins including BSA.
CONCLUSION(S):

We report a case of an anaphylactic reaction to the BSA included in the insemination culture medium induced by a subclinical sensitivity to serum albumins of mammal epithelia. A previous testing with the medium is recommended and specific testing might be needed in women who have a history of animal epithelium allergies.