An American student studying abroad in Rome died from a severe allergic reaction after eating a sandwich that had nuts in it.
It is believed that Avarie Anne Tierney, 21, consumed cashew nuts while having lunch with friends at a restaurant in Rome.
She had reportedly tried to communicate to staff that she had a nut allergy but her warnings were lost in translation due to the language barrier.
Avarie, from Los Angeles, felt unwell immediately after finishing her sandwich and realized she was having an allergic reaction. She rushed to her apartment to take a dose of the steroid cortisone in hopes it would stop the reaction.
Cortisone can be used to reduce inflammation and manage symptoms of an allergic reaction, but before she could take the medication, Avarie went into anaphylactic shock – a severe and deadly form of an allergic reaction – and had difficulty breathing.
Italian newspaper Il Messaggero revealed she collapsed to the ground prompting her friends to call emergency services.
When the paramedics arrived they gave her two doses of cortisone, though epinephrine (adrenaline) is the primary treatment for anaphylaxis, and performed CPR for 30 minutes.
Despite their efforts, they were unable to save her life and the college student died on April 2.
It is believed that Avarie Anne Tierney, 21, consumed cashew nuts while having lunch with friends at a restaurant in Rome
Avarie posted multiple photos of her visiting Rome’s hotspots on her Instagram page in the weeks leading up to her tragic passing
An estimated 4million Americans are allergic to tree nuts and roughly 20 percent of these people are allergic to cashews.
A severe cashew nut allergy reaction, known as anaphylaxis, can progress rapidly and be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
Symptoms, which can appear within minutes, include swelling of the airways, a drop in blood pressure, a rapid heartbeat, rashes, and dizziness or fainting.
The police are now waiting for the results of an autopsy to confirm her exact cause of death.
Investigators are also reconstructing the last moments of her life to find out how the incident occurred.
Avarie felt unwell immediately after finishing her sandwich and realized she was having an allergic reaction
Avarie was a student at the evangelical Biola University in Los Angeles, but she was on a study trip in Italy.
She posted multiple photos of her visiting Rome’s hotspots on her Instagram page in the weeks leading up to her death.
As well as visiting landmarks such as the Colosseum, Tierney also attended an AS Roma football match at the Stadio Olimpico.
She loved the Italian capital so much she posted a sign that read ‘Rome Sweet Home.’
She had been staying in Rome since the end of January and the investigation is ongoing.
