Diagnosing possible infantile cow's milk protein allergy in rural Africa, when history and physical examination are the only tools: A case report

Abstract

Introduction: Cow's milk protein allergy is common in infants from industrialised countries, but is rarely considered in developing countries due to its variable clinical presentation. Case presentation: We report on a Tanzanian male infant, who developed blood-stained stool when feeding fresh cow's milk at the age of three months. After an initial diagnosis of amoebiasis, possible cow's milk protein allergy was suspected. Further diagnostic work-up was not possible due to lack of resources. After elimination of cow's milk from the diet, the infant recovered soon. Conclusion: Cow's milk protein allergy should be considered more frequently in infants from developing countries, especially when they belong to agropastoralist tribes and are fed cow's milk early. © 2009 Krüger and Malleyeck; licensee Cases Network Ltd.