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Despite the hype about the supposed health benefits of bird’s nest soup, a serving of this quintessential Chinese soup can be lethal for people who have severe allergies.
In recent years, a few Singaporeans have died after experiencing severe allergic reactions to the soup, said Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology president Assoc Prof Dr Ranbir Kaulsay.
Allergies were practically unheard of in the 1960s but it now affects one in four Malaysians, says Dr Ranbir.
He says the number of Malaysians suffering from allergies have been rising steadily in recent years and could well hit the 50 per cent mark by 2020.
Nobody knows the reason for this increase in allergy sufferers worldwide.
One theory suggests that it could be due to the fact that our immune systems are being exposed to less stimulation because of the heavy use of antibiotics and the fact that our environment has become too sterile.
An allergic reaction can be triggered by foods, such as peanuts and other nuts, fish, shellfish, shrimp and food additives; insect stings and medications that include aspirin, antiobiotics (penicillin), seizure drug, muscle relaxants and latex products such as elastic waistbands, kitchen cleaning gloves and balloons.
In rare cases, exercise can also cause an allergic reaction. Some allergies have no known cause.
Adolescents and young adults have a greater risk of fatal allergic reaction to food.
Ninety per cent of recorded fatal reactions to food occur in children over the age of five.
Adults have a greater risk of fatal allergic reaction to insect bites because they are outdoors more.
Dr Ranbir says an allergic reaction occurs when the body’s immune system over-reacts to a normally harmless substance such as milk or seafood by releasing large amounts of histamine and similar chemicals.
“With allergies, we have a very broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from skin and eye irritation, and asthma and sinus problems up to anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) which may lead to death,” says Dr Ranbir.
“When there is a massive allergic reaction, you have severe itching, pain or redness in the affected area, followed by cramps and vomitting.
“The heart rate becomes uncontrollable and irregular and you get a large drop in blood pressure, which can lead to a dire outcome. All this happens very fast, usually within minutes to hours.”
Dr Ranbir says allergy sufferers who also have asthma or sinus problems and have had a heart attack should be extra careful as they are much more prone to developing a severe allergic reaction.
“Anti-histamine and steroids are the mainstay of allergic treatment. For more severe cases of allergy they may need adrenaline injections.
“To control selective symptoms like breathing difficulties and asthma, they may require medication for asthma treatment.
“People with severe allergies may have to carry certain emergency medication.”
Dr Ranbir says there are no records for allergy fatalities in Malaysia because the cause of death is usually described as sudden death or heart attack.
