OBJECTIVE To analyze mortality due to Hymenoptera stings in Costa Rica during 1985-2006. METHODS Records of deaths due to Hymenoptera stings in 1985-2006 were retrieved from Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (National Statistics and Census Institute). Mortality rates were calculated on the basis of national population reports, as of 1 July of each year. Information for each case incl...

BACKGROUND Swelling, pain, and pruritus are the most relevant symptoms after insect bites/stings. Glucocorticoids and antihistamines are well established in insect sting treatment. Bite Away(®) is a CE-certified medical device of class 2A (noninvasive device intended for administration to the body, which exchanges energy with the patient in a therapeutic manner) to reduce swelling, pruritus, an...

OBJECTIVES (1) To assess the number and severity of episodes of Irukandji syndrome in Broome, Western Australia. (2) To correlate demographic, seasonal, geographic and climatic features of Irukandji stings. (3) To assess treatment of Irukandji syndrome at Broome Health Service. (4) To assess the public health impact. DESIGN AND SETTING (1) A retrospective analysis of jellyfish data forms and ...

BACKGROUND The Asian giant hornet is the largest wasp species in the world. Its stings can cause acute interstitial nephritis and acute renal failure. From July to October, 2013, Asian giant hornet attacks have killed 42 people and injured 1675 people with their powerful venomous stings in Hanzhong, Ankang, and Shangluo, three cities in the southern part of Shaanxi Province, China. CASE REPOR...

BACKGROUND Reported prevalence of the insect stings and rates of allergic reactions vary among studies. The aim of the present study was to carry out the first epidemiological study on the prevalence of Hymenoptera allergy among school children in Izmir, Turkey. METHODS We planned to reach 6100 children, assuming the frequency of allergic reactions to Hymenoptera stings as 20%. Thirty-seven a...

Scorpion stings are a serious public health issue in tropical and subtropical countries. This is a descriptive and retrospective study of the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of scorpion sting cases registered in the Health System in the city of Campina Grande, Paraíba state, from 2007 to 2012. Data was collected from the Injury Notification Information System data banks of the Ministry...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE Mast cells (MC) are effector cells during severe systemic reactions (SR) to Hymenoptera stings. Venom specific immunotherapy (VIT) is the treatment of choice for prevention of SR to stings. Tryptase and prostaglandin D₂ metabolites (PGD₂) are the markers of MC activation. The study design was to 1. compare baseline values of serum tryptase concentration (BST) and PGD₂...

Scorpion stings are common in many tropical countries. Although most scorpion stings cause only localized pain without life-threatening envenoming, about one third of stings cause systemic envenoming which can result in death. Children are particularly sensitive to scorpion envenoming. The severity of scorpion stings is related to the presence of neurotoxins in the venom that cause a sudden rel...

formed.Theexanthemaandtheeosinophiliadecreasedgradually until normalization was achieved on day 16. On day 19, vemurafenib therapy was discontinued, and within 7days thereafter, the feverhad improved, and theelectrolyte profile had normalized. Tumor assessment showed a major tumoral response. On day 29, vemurafenib treatment was restarted at half dose, leading within 21 days (day 50) to a relap...

Australian Venom Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC. Forbes McGain, MB BS, DipObs, Honorary Fellow; Ken D Winkel, MB BS, PhD, FACTM, Director. Anaesthetics and Intensive Care, Port Moresby General Hospital, Port Moresby, NCD, PNG. Aaron Limbo, MB BS, DipAnaesth, Registrar. School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Towns...