I stumbled upon this topic after reading this article (Kerala man fears ant could kill him)
Khader had emigrated to the Gulf and was doing good till 1998 when he took ill after an ant bite. His body was inflamed and he felt like he was in an oven. What surprised me the most is that doctors say that there is no permanent cure. The only solution is to keep out of the reach of ants. Man!
The condition is known as Anaphylactic Shock. It is quite serious and life-threatening.
According to Science Daily
Anaphylactic shock is an acute, life-threatening allergic reaction, usually brought on by medication, insect stings, or other allergens, which has become more frequent in recent decades. In sensitized persons, the presence of the allergen leads to the release of various substances (mediators) from immune cells in the blood.
Anaphylaxis can occur in response to any allergen. Common triggers include insect bites or stings, food allergies, and drug allergies. Pollens and other inhaled allergens rarely cause anaphylaxis.
Symptoms include constriction of the airways, resulting in wheezing, difficulty breathing, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Histamine causes the blood vessels to dilate (which lowers blood pressure) and fluid to leak from the bloodstream into the tissues (which lowers the blood volume). These effects result in shock.
First aid measures for anaphylaxis include rescue breathing (part of CPR). Rescue breathing may be hindered by the constricted airways, but if the patient stops breathing on his or her own, it is the only way to get oxygen to him or her until professional help is available.
Some patients with severe allergies routinely carry preloaded syringes containing epinephrine, diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and dexamethasone (Decadron) whenever they go to an unknown or uncontrolled environment. Some immunization that!
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