The most common triggers for anaphylaxis include food (especially peanut, tree nuts such as almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts – fish, shellfish, cow’s milk and egg), insect stings, medications (most commonly penicillin) and latex.

Symptoms include one or more of:

• Hives, itching and redness of the skin, lips, eyelids, or other parts of the body, and/or itching of the throat, tongue, and mouth
• Wheezing and/or difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the tongue, throat and nose
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or cramping pain in the abdomen
• Dizziness and fainting or loss of consciousness, which can lead to shock and heart failure