In mast cell-mediated angioedema, such as allergic reactions to foods or insect stings, there are often (not always) other signs and symptoms of mast cell mediator release. These signs and symptoms include urticaria, flushing, generalized pruritus, bronchospasm, throat tightness, and/or hypotension. Mast cell-mediated angioedema usually begins within minutes of exposure to the allergen, builds ...

The purpose of this paper is to present the readers with a basic yet sound understanding of the dangerous types of insect invertebrates that may be encountered during daily life operations worldwide. The class Insecta belongs to the superclass Hexapoda (six-legged arthropods) of the phylum Arthropoda (joint-legged animals). This huge biodiversity is a natural treasure to humans as many species ...

Reports of bed bug infestations in major cities in the United States and abroad have been in the public press. Physicians and other clinicians who care for children need to be able to recognize bed bug bites and understand the social, psychological, and medical implications that this diagnosis will have on patients and their families. In this article, a case presentation serves to guide discuss...

Background Kounis Syndrome manifests as unstable vasospastic or nonvasospastic angina and is caused by the release of inflammatory mediators following an allergic reaction. A variety of causes have been reported including antibiotics, general anesthetics, latex, insect stings, drug eluting stents, etc. To the best of our knowledge, Kounis syndrome in the setting of systemic mastocytosis has not...

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...

Bed bugs are hematophagous insects which due to their morphological and biological characteristics are able to easily adapt themselves to human households. The authors describe two cases of dermatitis caused by bed bug bites in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patients presented linear lesions in the usual "breakfast, lunch and dinner" arrangement, suggesting this diagnosis. A visit to their...

BACKGROUND To date there has been an absence of nation-wide epidemiologic studies on insect allergy in Spain. OBJECTIVES To measure the frequency and to determine the characteristics of Hymenoptera hypersensitivity in a Spanish population at a particular point in time and compare with the data obtained in a similar study carried out in 1992. MATERIAL AND METHODS An observational, prospectiv...

Until recently, bed bugs have been considered uncommon in the industrialized world. This study determined the extent of reemerging bed bug infestations in homeless shelters and other locations in Toronto, Canada. Toronto Public Health documented complaints of bed bug infestations from 46 locations in 2003, most commonly apartments (63%), shelters (15%), and rooming houses (11%). Pest control op...

PURPOSE Differences in definitions of the condition, relevant triggers, and the geographical locations of study centers, cause estimates of the prevalence of anaphylaxis to vary. Recent epidemiological data indicate that the incidence of anaphylaxis is rising. METHODS To investigate the causes and clinical features of anaphylaxis in Korean adults, factors associated with the severity of the c...

BACKGROUND Venom immunotherapy (VIT) has proven to be efficacious in reducing the severity of anaphylactic reactions following field stings in patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy. Due to sequence homologies in the allergens used in Hymenoptera vaccines, there is concern that immunotherapy could lead to sensitization to allergens to which patients were not previously sensitized. The relevanc...