A peanut allergy is a common type of food allergy in both children and adults. A peanut allergy, like any allergy, is when your immune system identifies the proteins in peanuts as harmful. When you come into contact with these proteins, your immune system reacts and releases histamines, which then cause your peanut allergic reaction.

Peanut allergic reactions are generally the most common culprit of fatal food-induced anaphylaxis, with the highest-risk groups being adolescents with asthma. In fact, studies show that people allergic to peanuts have a higher risk of anaphylaxis compared with people who are allergic to other foods, like milk or egg.