Peanut allergies have been rising in recent decades. The reason remains unclear but one study found that baby creams or lotions with peanut oil may cause children to develop allergies later in life.

Christina Desforges died in a Quebec hospital Wednesday after doctors were unable to treat her allergic reaction to the kiss the previous weekend.

Desforges, who lived in Saguenay, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) north of Quebec City, was almost immediately given a shot of adrenaline, a standard tool for treating the anaphylactic shock brought on by a peanut allergy, officials said.

An autopsy was being performed. Dr. Nina Verreault, an allergist at the Chicoutimi Hospital in Saguenay, declined to comment on the case.

Peanut Allergies Have Been Rising

The symptoms of peanut allergy can include hives, plunging blood pressure and swelling of the face and throat, which can block breathing.

Peanut allergies have been rising in recent decades. The reason remains unclear but one study found that baby creams or lotions with peanut oil may cause children to develop allergies later in life.

Peanut allergies afflict 1 to 1.5 percent of the population, said Rhoda Kagan, peanut allergist at Montreal Children's Hospital. In the United States, about 1.5 million people are severely allergic to even the smallest trace of peanuts and peanut allergies account for 50 to 100 deaths each year.

Extremely Low Threshold

Desforges' case is "very rare and worrisome" she said. "Some people have an extremely low threshold," Kagan said, stressing cases of allergic reactions to peanut dust. "This varies greatly from person to person and is highly unpredictable."

Reactions will depend on personal medical history and on how much peanut substance was ingested. Allergy sufferers are often warned of threats from casual contact.

While a shot of adrenaline is recommended immediately following such an attack, hospitalization is usually required to monitor progress as patients can have a recurring attack in 20 to 30 percent of cases, Kagan said.