Systemic Anaphylaxis

At the turn of the twentieth century, two French biologists studied the responses of dogs to the venom of stinging jellyfish. Large doses of venom usually killed the dogs, but sometimes a few survived the injections. These surviving dogs were used for repeat experiments with the venom, and the results were surprising. Even a very tiny dose of the venom, one that should have been almost harmless, killed the dogs. They suffered difficulty in respiration, entered shock as their cardiovascular systems collapsed, and quickly died. This phenomenon was called anaphylactic shock.

Systemic anaphylaxis (or anaphylactic shock) can result when an individual sensitized to an antigen is exposed to it again. Injected antigens are more likely to cause a dramatic response than antigens introduced via other portals of entry. The release of mediators causes peripheral blood vessels throughout the body to enlarge, resulting in a drop in blood pressure (shock). This reaction can be fatal within a few minutes. There is very little time to act once someone develops systemic anaphylaxis. Treatment usually involves self-administration with a preloaded syringe of epinephrine, a drug that constricts blood vessels and raises the blood pressure.