[Anaphylactic reaction caused by the performance of skin tests: report of a case].

A case of anaphylaxis following skin tests for airborne allergens in a 25-year-old female patient diagnosed with bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis, is presented. The purpose of this paper is to alert against severe systemic reactions related to skin tests. The reaction occurred 15 minutes after administration of various airborne allergens (pollens, air molds, and house dust), and the symptoms were: hypogastric pain, transvaginal bleeding, generalized urticaria, and bronchospasm. Immediate treatment consisted of antihistamines, bronchodilatators and steroids; the symptoms subsided in 12 hours. We conclude that skin testing can give rise to severe systemic reactions which should be identified and treated immediately by trained physicians and ancillary personnel, and that these tests should be avoided when pregnancy is suspected.