How common is anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is uncommon but not rare, with new cases arising at rates of between 8.4 and 21 per 100 000 patient-years.2-4 An Australian survey of parent-reported allergy and anaphylaxis found that 1 in 170 school children had suffered at least one episode of anaphylaxis.5 Another Australian study showed that, in areas where native Myrmecia ant species are prevalent, 1 in 50 adults have experienced anaphylaxis after stings from native Myrmecia species (Box 1) or honeybees.6 Deaths from anaphylaxis are uncommon, estimated to occur at a rate of 1 per 3 million population per year.7 In areas where sting allergy is common, the death rate may be higher than this. Hospital-based studies suggest a death rate in the order of 1 per 100–200 episodes of anaphylaxis treated in an emergency department.8,9