The purpose of diagnostic procedure is to classify a sting reaction by history, identify the underlying pathogenetic mechanism, and identify the offending insect. Diagnosis of Hymenoptera venom allergy thus forms the basis for the treatment. In the central and northern Europe vespid (mainly Vespula spp.) and honeybee stings are the most prevalent, whereas in the Mediterranean area stings from P...

BACKGROUND Data on outcome of insect venom immunotherapy in children are rare. OBJECTIVE We investigated the rate of sting recurrence and outcome of Hymenoptera venom anaphylaxis in children of different age groups treated with immunotherapy. METHODS Data from children consecutively referred for anaphylaxis to Hymenoptera venom were collected using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS Du...

Background: Wasp stings are quite commonly observed in Bangladesh though they are under reported. However, rhabdomyolysis following multiple wasp stings is a rare entity. Case report: A middle aged physician was stung by a swarm of wasps at multiple sites of the body. He felt severe pain at the sites of the stings and was primarily treated with intravenous hydrocortisone and chlorpheniramine. W...

BACKGROUND Standard venom immunotherapy involves the administration of the maintenance dose every 4 to 6 weeks. This regimen may have adherence problems, especially in the long term; thus, extended intervals have been proposed. OBJECTIVE We prospectively compared the efficacy of 3- or 4-month extended maintenance dose vs the conventional regimen. METHODS Patients receiving immunotherapy wit...

BACKGROUND specific immunotherapy for Hymenoptera Venom (VIT) is considered a life-saving treatment in insect sting allergy. A few studies with depot VIT have been published, but they are mainly focussed on patients sensitized to Apis. METHODS this retrospective study was designed to evaluate both efficacy and safety of depot VIT for Vespula. Thirty-six patients (age range 6-73 years) with a ...

Kounis Syndrome (KS) is the contemporary occurrence of Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) with an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction. This syndrome has been reported in association with a variety of drugs, food, insect stings, environmental exposures and medical conditions. Cases of KS seem to be more often encountered in everyday clinical practice than anticipated. It is believed that the lack ...

Reactions to Hymenoptera insect stings are common. While most are self-limited, some induce systemic allergic reactions or anaphylaxis. Prompt recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of these reactions are important for improving quality-of-life and reducing the risk of future sting reactions. This review summarizes the current recommendations to diagnose and treat Hymenoptera sting induced aller...