50-Year-Old Man Suffers Severe Allergic Reaction After Eating Kiwi
A man in his 50s arrived overnight at the medical center, operated by Rambam Hospital in Kiryat Shmona, with acute symptoms of an immediate allergy after eating kiwi. The man, who had eaten the exotic fruit for the first time in his life shortly before arriving at the center, developed a severe allergic reaction within 20 minutes.
According to Dr. Salam Ganaim, a senior physician in Rambam's emergency department who was staffing the center during the incident, the man, accompanied by his wife, needed urgent treatment upon arrival. "A few minutes after he ate kiwi for the first time in his life, he began complaining of swelling in the eyes, sore throat while swallowing, and a feeling of swelling in the throat. In the initial examination we saw that he was also sweating and suffering from swelling of the tongue and edema of the uvula, meaning a real danger of airway obstruction. All of these are clear signs of a dangerous allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, and they require immediate treatment," Dr. Ganaim explained.
In the case of an anaphylactic reaction, immediate treatment is essential and there must be no delay. Every minute of delay in treatment can be disastrous. Dr. Ganaim and the nurse who assisted him, Mohammed Abu Alhija, immediately understood the severity of the reaction and began the standard treatment for an anaphylactic shock, which included administering adrenaline and antihistamines, leading to a rapid improvement in his overall condition. The patient then remained for several hours for continued observation and close monitoring by the staff. Once he stabilized, he was discharged home with a prescription for an EpiPen, a life-saving medication in case of another allergic attack.
"I spoke with him this morning," Dr. Ganaim said. "His condition has completely improved and he feels well. Today he already went to work as usual. We are glad we were in the right place at the right time to help him."
On the connection between kiwi, rubber and immediate allergy, "Kiwi allergy is not common, but it does exist," explains Dr. Idit Lachover-Rot, director of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit at Rambam. "Usually, the allergic reaction is the result of the immune system's response to proteins found in the food, in this case kiwi, and it can cause an immune reaction in some people, who may develop various symptoms, ranging from a tingling sensation in the mouth, tongue or throat, swelling of the lips, a widespread skin rash accompanied by itching, to more significant symptoms including coughing, difficulty breathing, hoarseness, a feeling of choking, abdominal pain, vomiting, and even fainting, and in extreme cases death. Kiwi is part of a family of substances with a protein structure similar to that found in rubber trees, and can trigger a similar reaction in those who have developed sensitivity to them. This phenomenon is professionally called cross-reactivity, and that is why people with latex allergy are at increased risk of developing allergies to fruits such as kiwi, avocado and banana. Even so, despite the common public perception that tropical fruits such as kiwi, mango and strawberry are the most common allergenic foods, allergy to these foods is relatively rare. The more common foods that cause allergic reactions are milk, eggs, sesame, peanuts, nuts, almonds, fish and soy. A person who has developed a severe allergic reaction must completely avoid the allergenic food and carry an EpiPen injector, and preferably even two, containing adrenaline, in case of accidental ingestion of the allergenic food and the development of a significant allergic reaction. In any case of an allergic reaction such as the one described, an appointment should be made with an allergist, a doctor who specializes in allergies, for a structured evaluation and diagnosis as well as guidance that can save their life. Fruit is tasty, important and healthy, but only if you are not allergic to it," Dr. Lachover-Rot concluded.
