Hives Breakout Reported At Middle School In Denver

DENVER, CO — More than two dozen students at a middle school in Denver broke out in hives this week, Denver Public Schools confirmed. Most of the students who contracted the rash are in the 8th grade.

Between 25 and 30 students at DSST: Henry Middle School broke out in hives on the same day, officials said.

All after-school programs were canceled Wednesday at the school.

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The school nurse asked some students with rashes to stay home Thursday.

Denver Public Schools contacted the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, and health officials were scheduled to go to the school Thursday to investigate.

Hives are small, itchy, red swollen areas on the skin that are often in clusters. Hives tend to fade after a few hours, but new ones can appear. Most cases go away within a few days; however, some last a few weeks or longer.

While the cause is unknown in some cases, these factors may cause hives, according to Denver Department of Public Health and Environment:

• Foods, most commonly:
  • Eggs
  • Shellfish
  • Nuts
  • Chocolate
  • Fish
  • Tomatoes
  • Fresh berries
  • Milk
• Medications
• Reaction to allergy shots
• Infections
• Insect bites or stings
• Latex
• Pressure
• Cold or heat
• Sunlight
• Pollen
• Stress
• Underlying medical conditions:
  • Vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels)
  • Thyroid disease— hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
  • Some cancers, such as lymphoma
  • Viral infections, such as HIV infection, hepatitis, and cytomegalovirus

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase your chances of hives include:

• Exposure to an allergen — something that causes an allergic reaction
• Exposure to an allergen that triggered hives in the past