A 17-year-old girl died in Manzanares (Ciudad Real) after being admitted urgently for anaphylactic shock due to being allergic to milk protein after having ingested coffee that contained traces of milk. The tragedy has been confirmed through social networks by the parish of the Assumption of Our Lady of Campo de Criptana, with whom she was at a meeting of local volunteers.
In a first statement posted on a Facebook post, the parish noted that Irene had suffered an "unexpected setback due to causes beyond the control of the organization." According to the account of the entity, the young woman, "allergic to lactose (sic), she had a coffee with her friends and the fatality of being contaminated with lactose (sic) occurred."
Sources close to the family informed the EFE news agency that the girl went to the house of one of the friends who were participating in the religious meeting and had a coffee with capsules there, with the "fatality" that the machine in which it was made the coffee contained traces of milk protein from the lattes that had been made earlier.
The ingestion caused a cardiorespiratory arrest, as confirmed by sources from the Ministry of Health and after staying in the ICU for several days, the young woman died this Wednesday due to "anaphylaxis".
From the parish of the Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Campo de Criptana they have thanked the work of the health workers "we appreciate their generous work as a volunteer and we ask for a prayer for their eternal rest."
The minor was studying at the Instituto Azuer de Manzanares, which has expressed its condolences to the family through social networks and whose colleagues are dismayed by the event.
The mayor of the town, Julián Nieva, has also transferred, on behalf of the entire population, his condolences to the relatives of the deceased and has stated, in a statement, that "it is a sad day for Manzanares". The girl's burial is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. this Thursday, in the Church of the Assumption of Manzanares.
Unlike lactose intolerance, an allergy to milk protein involves the immune system. Milk intolerance requires different treatment than an allergy. Both disorders are often confused but they are not the same. As clarified by the Working Group on Food Allergies of the CoP of the ASPCAT-Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya to La Vanguardia, lactose is not, in reality, a milk protein, so its intake should not have too many effects. serious; On the other hand, cow's milk proteins can cause allergies and, sometimes, of a very serious nature.
From this, it can be deduced that the ingestion of a small amount of milk protein can be fatal for an allergic person, but it would never be if they had ingested a small amount of lactose. This also explains why an allergic person cannot drink lactose-free cow's milk because the protein is still present.
Common signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance or milk protein intolerance include digestive problems, such as bloating, gas, or diarrhea, after consuming milk or milk products. However, allergy to this protein can cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways and can block breathing. Milk is the third most common food, after peanuts and tree nuts, to cause anaphylaxis.
