A 30-year old woman presented in the emergency room with hives all over her body. After a full examination it was determined that the zoo she had visited that morning caused the reaction. What was the most likely cause of this response?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hives all over the body are a classic symptom of a type I hypersensitivity reaction, which is caused by the release of histamine from IgE-bound mast cells and basophils in response to exposure to an allergen. In this case, the allergen was likely an animal or plant protein from the zoo that triggered the woman's immune system to mount an allergic reaction.

A 30-Year Old Woman Presented in the Emergency Room with Hives