Now, when most people think of allergies, they are referring to the minor annoyance that a high pollen count or exposure to dogs and cats causes. But for two percent of adults, allergies mean exactly what the situation above describes - a potentially lethal condition known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a result of the human immune system being too good at what it does. These actions produce the symptoms that are described above, and are generally caused by three main types of problem substances. The types of problem substances or allergens are usually food, venom, and medicine.
Food allergens are typically nuts, seeds, shellfish, or dairy products.
Venomous reactions are mediated by stinging insects such as bees or wasps. Insect stings cause 50 deaths annually. Medicines that cause allergic reactions include penicillin and insulin. Other allergens can be food additives such as sulfites. The current treatment for anaphylaxis is to administer epinephrine injections in conjunction with histamine blockers.