Have you ever seen someone swell up after a bee sting or collapse suddenly after eating peanuts or taking medicine? That might have been anaphylactic shock — a severe allergic reaction that can kill within minutes if not treated quickly.
This life-threatening condition is becoming more recognised in Uganda, especially as more people use medications, vaccines, or eat processed foods that can trigger allergies.
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What is Anaphylactic Shock?
Anaphylactic shock is a serious allergic reaction that affects the entire body. It can start suddenly — sometimes within seconds — after a person eats a certain food, takes a medicine, or is stung by an insect like a bee or wasp.
The immune system wrongly sees something harmless (like a food protein or drug) as a dangerous threat. It overreacts by releasing chemicals like histamine, which causes blood vessels to widen, airways to swell, and blood pressure to drop dangerously low.
Common Triggers in Uganda
Here are some of the most common things that can cause anaphylaxis here in Uganda:
- Food allergies: Eggs, fish, cow’s milk, peanuts, and some food additives
- Medicines: Especially antibiotics like penicillin, painkillers such as aspirin, and some vaccines
- Insect stings: Bees and wasps are common culprits
- Latex: Found in gloves and some medical supplies
Even a small exposure can trigger a full-body reaction in someone who is allergic.
Signs to Watch For
A person with anaphylactic shock might show some or all of these symptoms:
- Skin reactions: itching, hives (bumps), swelling — especially on the lips, tongue, or around the eyes
- Breathing problems: tight chest, wheezing, noisy breathing (stridor), or feeling like the throat is closing
- Sudden drop in blood pressure: dizziness, confusion, fainting, cold skin, weak pulse
- Stomach problems: cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea
It can be easy to confuse anaphylaxis with other conditions like asthma attacks or different types of shock (like from bleeding or infection), but the combination of skin signs and breathing or blood pressure problems is a strong clue.
What to Do Immediately
This is a medical emergency. The person’s life depends on fast action:
- Call for help immediately. Don’t wait to see if the symptoms get worse.
- Lay the person flat and raise their legs — this helps improve blood flow.
- Give adrenaline (epinephrine) if available. It is the most important medicine for reversing the reaction. Inject it into the outer thigh muscle.
- Help them breathe. Open their airway and give oxygen if trained to do so.
- Start an IV drip if you’re in a health facility — this helps stabilise blood pressure.
Life-Saving Medicines
- Adrenaline (epinephrine): This is the first and most important treatment. Adults should get 0.5 ml (1 mg/mL) injected into the thigh muscle. Children get smaller doses depending on age.
- Hydrocortisone: Reduces inflammation. Used especially in severe cases or if symptoms are lasting.
- Antihistamines: Help control itching and rash, but are not enough on their own.
- Fluids through a drip: To raise blood pressure.
- Oxygen: If available, helps with breathing.
All these should be given at the nearest health centre or hospital, but adrenaline should not be delayed if available.
Preventing Anaphylaxis in Uganda
Here’s what you can do to prevent deadly reactions — especially if you or your child already has known allergies:
- Always tell your doctor or nurse if you’re allergic to any medicine or food
- Wear a medical alert tag or bracelet if you’ve had a reaction before
- Carry adrenaline (EpiPen) if you’ve had a serious reaction in the past
- Keep emergency medicines in places where reactions may occur, like clinics, schools, or while travelling
- Be cautious with new medicines and foods — especially in children
When to Stay in Hospital
Even if a patient recovers quickly, they should be observed for several hours. Sometimes the reaction comes back after a few hours (called biphasic reaction).
If the reaction was caused by a medicine, the health worker should fill in an Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) report form for the Ministry of Health to prevent future harm.
